Evolutionary and Sociocultural Aspects of Human Milk Composition
- Conditions
- Breast Milk Collection
- Registration Number
- NCT02670278
- Lead Sponsor
- Washington State University
- Brief Summary
It is well-known that breastfeeding protects infants from illness, especially in the poorest regions of the world. The full nature of this protective effect, however, is less well understood. A major barrier to understanding is the fact that almost nothing is known about the factors that influence the considerable variation in milk composition around the globe, or about the effects of this variation on infant health. This INSPIRE project represents the first comprehensive investigation of the global differences in human milk composition along with the various microbial, evolutionary, environmental, and sociocultural factors that might influence both milk composition and infant health. An international, interdisciplinary collaboration of physiologists, nutritional scientists, anthropologists, microbiologists, and mathematicians will collect biological data from breastfeeding women and their infants, in concert with extensive anthropologic and ecological data, in both developed (US, Spain, Sweden) and developing countries (Central African Republic, Gambia, Ghana, Peru, and Kenya). To test the possibility of a correlation between milk oligosaccharide composition, milk microbiota, and the gastrointestinal microbiome of infants, milk samples and infant fecal samples will be analyzed using state-of-the-art biochemical and genomic techniques. This study will allow important cross-cultural comparisons of milk composition and infant feeding practices; it also will utilize sophisticated computational methods to integrate the extensive, diverse body of combined biological and anthropological data to elucidate the relationships among sociocultural factors, evolutionary history, environmental exposures, microbial constituents and milk composition. The researchers predict that what is considered "normal" milk composition in one population may not support optimal health in another. This information is crucial to the humanitarian quest to understand how infant nutrition and overall health can be improved around the world. In addition, this project will provide extensive research training opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral scientists.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- UNKNOWN
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 960
Not provided
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- OBSERVATIONAL
- Study Design
- Not specified
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Microbial community structure of milk 1-3 months postpartum Sequencing of microbial 16S gene via MiSeq; data will be analyzed as relative abundances of bacteria from phylum to genus; how milk microbial profiles are related to milk oligosaccharide and infant fecal microbiomes will be explores using multivariate ecological analyses.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Oligosaccharide profiles of milk 1-3 months postpartum Total and individual oligosaccharide concentrations will be determined; how oligosaccharide profiles are related to milk and infant microbiomes will be explores using multivariate ecological analyses.
Sociocultural data of women, including dietary intake patterns and microbial exposures 1-3 months postpartum Collected via surveys; multivariate analysis will be conducted to relate these factors to variation in primary outcomes - particularly microbial community structure of milk.
Microbial community structure of infant feces 1-3 months of life Sequencing of microbial 16S gene via MiSeq; data will be analyzed as relative abundances of bacteria from phylum to genus; relationships with milk microbiome and oligosaccharide profiles will be explored using multivariate ecological analyses.
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
School of Biological Sciences
🇺🇸Pullman, Washington, United States