Previous studies have suggested that milk consumption during pregnancy may have growth-promoting effects on the offspring in utero. Whether this effect tracks beyond the prenatal period remains unclear.
- Method:
- A prospective cohort study of 809 pregnant women in Denmark.
- Assessment of milk consumption at gestational week 30.
- Measurement of birth weight and birth length, with offspring’s height- and growth-related biomarkers at ~20 years of age.
- Key Findings:
- As compared with maternal milk consumption of < 150 ml/day, consumption of ≥ 150 ml/day was associated with:
- 0.32 higher z-scores for birth weight and 0.34 higher z-scores for birth length.
- 0.19 higher z-scores for height at ~20 years of age (P = 0.16).
- ~8% higher levels of insulin-like growth factor I and ~14% higher insulin levels (P-values = 0.12 and 0.11 respectively).
- Conclusion:
Maternal milk consumption may have a growth-promoting influence on weight and length at birth, and the effect may track into early adult age.
WYE-EM-008-JAN-14
Reference
Hrolfsdottir L, Rytter D, Hammer Bech B, Brink Henriksen T, Danielsen I, Steingrimsdottir L, Olsen SF, Halldorsson TI. Maternal milk consumption, birth size and adult height of offspring: a prospective cohort study with 20 years of follow-up. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2013 Sep 4. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2013.151. [Epub ahead of print]. Link to PubMed
