Table 2.
Summary of the included studies about the effect of human milk on body composition.
| Study | Type of Study | Population | Timing of Evaluation | Principal Aim | Method of Assessment | Main Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giannì et al. [14] | Observational cohort study | n = 284, GA 34–36 weeks | At term CGA | Body composition in late preterms infants fed with exclusively MM/any MM vs. FM | Air-displacement pletysmograph (PEA POD Infant Body Composition System) | Positive association of any MM feeding at discharge and at term CGA and exclusively MM feeding at term CGA with FFM content (β =−47.9, 95%, CI = −95.7; −0.18; p = 0.049; β = −89.6, 95% CI = −131.5; −47.7; p < 0.0001; β= −104.1, 95% CI = −151.4; −56.7, p < 0.0001) |
| Piemontese et al. [15] | Longitudinal observational study | n = 73, VLBW< 1500 g, GA 26–34 weeks | At term CGA | Body composition in VLBW preterm infants fed with HM at < 50% vs. HM ≥ 50% of the total volume intake | PEA POD Infant Body Composition System | Positive association between the HM % and FFM % after correction for birth weight and gender (β = 0.12 ± 0.05, p = 0.01) Increase in FFM % at term GCA when HM ≥ 50% (p = 0.01) |
| Morlacchi et al. [16] | Prospective observational study | n = 32, VLBW< 1500 g, GA ≤ 32 weeks | At discharge and at term CGA | Body composition and protein balance in VLBW premature neonates exclusively MM vs. FM fed | PEA POD Infant Body Composition System Standard nitrogen balance method; Infrared spectroscopy analysis to assess nutritional composition of the MM; for FM, macronutrients calculated based on manufactures’ info |
At discharge, higher nitrogen balance in MM-fed infants compared with FM fed (mean 488.3 ± 75 compared with 409.8 ± 85 mg kg−1 d−1, p = 0.009) At term CGA, in MM-fed compared to FM-fed infants higher FFM % (85.1 ± 2.8 vs. 80.8 ± 3.2, p = 0.002), lower ATM % (14.9 ± 2.8 vs. 19.2 ± 3.2, p = 0.002), lower ATM (458 ± 118, p = 0.004) FFM independently associated with MM feeding (R2 = 0.93, p < 0.0001) |
| Mól et al. [17] | Prospective cohort study | n = 53, VLBW 1000–1500 g | At birth and at term CGA | Body composition of VLBW newborns fed with either MM or FM compared to full-term infants | Multi-frequency impedance body composition monitor | In the FM-fed VLBW preterms compared to full-term newborns lower FFM % (83.5 vs. 85.5, p < 0.001), higher ATM % (16.4 vs.14.5, p < 0.01) and higher ATM kg (0.617 ± 0.18 vs. 0.494 ± 0.1, p = 0.02) No differences in FFM or FM between the HM fed VLBW infants and the term newborns |
Human milk (HM) = own mother’s or maternal milk (MM) and donor milk (DM) fed; Formula milk = FM; Gestational age (GA); Corrected gestational age (CGA); Very low birth weight infants (VLBW); Adipose tissue mass (ATM); Fat-free mass (FFM); CI (Confidence Interval).