Optimal nutrition in lactating women and its effect on later health of offspring: A systematic review of current evidence and recommendations (EarlyNutrition project)

Background: EarlyNutrition (www.project-earlynutrition.eu) is an international research consortium investigating the effects of early nutrition on metabolic programming. Objective: To summarize current evidence and standards, recommendations, guidelines, and regulations on nutrition or supplements in lactating women with emphasis placed on long-term health effects in offspring, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, overweight/obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, or glucose intolerance. Methods: Medline, Embase, selected databases and websites were searched for documents published between 2010 and 2015. Results: Thirteen documents met the inclusion criteria. Effects of maternal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) supplementation on overweight/obesity or hypertension in offspring were assessed in 10 studies. One study described the effect of maternal vitamin D supplementation on overweight/obesity, and the remaining 2 studies assessed the effects of maternal probiotic/synbiotic supplementation during lactation on overweight/obesity or metabolic syndrome in their infants. Forty-one documents contained dietary recommendations on various macro- and micronutrients for lactating women, but without consideration of our long-term health outcomes in infants. Conclusion: Literature on nutrition of lactating women and its effect on their infants' later health with respect to metabolic programming outcomes appeared to be scarce, and focused mostly on supplementation of LC-PUFA's. No recent guidelines or recommendations were available, highlighting the significant research gaps regarding this topic

Nutrition during pregnancy, lactation and early childhood and its implications for maternal and long-term child health:The early nutrition project recommendations

Background: A considerable body of evidence accumulated especially during the last decade, demonstrating that early nutrition and lifestyle have long-term effects on later health and disease ("developmental or metabolic programming"). Methods: Researchers involved in the European Union funded international EarlyNutrition research project consolidated the scientific evidence base and existing recommendations to formulate consensus recommendations on nutrition and lifestyle before and during pregnancy, during infancy and early childhood that take long-term health impact into account. Systematic reviews were performed on published dietary guidelines, standards and recommendations, with special attention to long-term health consequences. In addition, systematic reviews of published systematic reviews on nutritional interventions or exposures in pregnancy and in infants and young children aged up to 3 years that describe effects on subsequent overweight, obesity and body composition were performed. Experts developed consensus recommendations incorporating the wide-ranging expertise from additional 33 stakeholders. Findings: Most current recommendations for pregnant women, particularly obese women, and for young children do not take long-term health consequences of early nutrition into account, although the available evidence for relevant consequences of lifestyle, diet and growth patterns in early life on later health and disease risk is strong. Interpretation: We present updated recommendations for optimized nutrition before and during pregnancy, during lactation, infancy and toddlerhood, with special reference to later health outcomes. These recommendations are developed for affluent populations, such as women and children in Europe, and should contribute to the primary prevention of obesity and associated non-communicable diseases

Nutrition during pregnancy, lactation, and early childhood and its implications for maternal and long-term child health: the EarlyNutrition Project recommendations

Background: A considerable body of evidence accumulated especially during the last decade, demonstrating that early nutrition and lifestyle have long-term effects on later health and disease ("developmental or metabolic programming"). Methods: Researchers involved in the European Union funded international EarlyNutrition research project consolidated the scientific evidence base and existing recommendations to formulate consensus recommendations on nutrition and lifestyle before and during pregnancy, during infancy and early childhood that take long-term health impact into account. Systematic reviews were performed on published dietary guidelines, standards and recommendations, with special attention to long-term health consequences. In addition, systematic reviews of published systematic reviews on nutritional interventions or exposures in pregnancy and in infants and young children aged up to 3 years that describe effects on subsequent overweight, obesity and body composition were performed. Experts developed consensus recommendations incorporating the wide-ranging expertise from additional 33 stakeholders. Findings: Most current recommendations for pregnant women, particularly obese women, and for young children do not take long-term health consequences of early nutrition into account, although the available evidence for relevant consequences of lifestyle, diet and growth patterns in early life on later health and disease risk is strong. Interpretation: We present updated recommendations for optimized nutrition before and during pregnancy, during lactation, infancy and toddlerhood, with special reference to later health outcomes. These recommendations are developed for affluent populations, such as women and children in Europe, and should contribute to the primary prevention of obesity and associated non-communicable diseases.</p