Title: Infant Milk Formula with Large, Milk Phospholipid-coated Lipid Droplets Enriched in Dairy Lipids Affects Body Mass Index Trajectories and Blood Pressure at School Age: Follow-up of a Randomized Controlled Trial (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)
| Published: | November 16, 2023 |
The study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition evaluates an innovative infant formula concept: NUTURIS®. This concept features large milk lipid droplets that closely mimic those in breast milk and shows positive, long-term effects on childhood BMI trajectories and blood pressure up to the age of 5.
Healthy infant growth during the first 1000 days of life is crucial for well-being. Breast milk, which is rich in lipids, serves as an optimal energy source for growth and development of a baby’s brain and immune system. 1Koletzko B. Ann Nutr Metab. 2016;69(2):28-40., 2Demmelmair H & Koletzko B. Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018;32(1):57-68., 3Hageman JH et al. Int Dairy J. 2019;92:37-49. In cases where exclusive breastfeeding isn’t possible, the provided infant formula must be safe, and suitable to meet the nutritional requirements of children.
One distinct characteristic of lipids in breast milk is that they are present as large globules (volume-based mode diameter of 4μm) surrounded by a complex triple-layered phospholipid native membrane. In contrast, lipid droplets in the currently available standard infant formula are generally 10 times smaller, mostly containing proteins at the lipid-water interface without any membrane.
Danone Nutricia Research developed a unique infant formula concept featuring large lipid droplets coated in milk phospholipids (NUTURIS®), that mimic the composition, size and structure of lipids found in breast milk.
The original Mercurius study, along with its follow-up until the age of 5, evaluated the long-term growth trajectories of infants who consumed either a formula with NUTURIS® (concept), or a standard infant formula (control) during the initial four months of life. A group of breast fed infants was also included for reference and assed up until 5 years of age.
Results indicate that exposure to the concept infant formula during the first 4 months results in childhood BMI trajectories similar to breastfed infants, as well as a lower blood pressure at the age of 5.
Marieke Abrahamse-Berkeveld, Senior Teamleader Infant Growth Research at Danone Research & Innovation states: “Our recent discoveries reveal that this unique infant formula, containing a novel dimension of lipid quality, has the potential to minimize differences in functional health outcomes during later stages of life, bringing it closer to the health benefits observed in breastfed infants.”
Another publication resulting from the same follow-up study with NUTURIS®, suggests the formula also positively affects cognitive outcomes during childhood. In the coming years, further research will help us shed light on the potential long-term impact of lipid droplet characteristics in infant nutrition on growth trajectories, body composition, metabolic development and other health outcomes.
Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for infants up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding thereafter in conjunction with appropriate complementary feeding until 2 years of age or beyond. Breast milk substitutes (i.e., infant formula) should provide a safe and nutritionally adequate alternative if (full) breastfeeding is not possible.