Clinical Research Directory

Breastmilk and the Link to Overweight/Obesity and Maternal Diet in the Mother-breastmilk-child Triad

The prospective 5-month follow-up study will involve 150 mother-infant dyads grouped based on maternal baseline BMI category (normal weight, overweight, obesity). The investigators plan 3 study visits (1, 3, and 6 months postpartum) with analysis the following parameters and outcomes: 1. maternal anthropometry and body composition; 2. maternal dietary intake and dietary patterns (with results of biomarker-based validation); 3. maternal status of lipophilic antioxidants, selected vitamins, and fatty acids profile that may be related to adipose tissue metabolism, inflammation, and cardiometabolic status; 4. maternal metabolomics, adipokines, insulin, selected biomarkers of inflammation, altered glucose metabolism, and oxidation; 5. breastmilk composition assessed by systemic approach (macronutrients, fatty acids profile, lipophilic antioxidants, adipokines, hormones, immunological profile, and preliminary lipidomic analysis in part of the study group); 6. infant growth trajectory, body composition, urine metabolomics, and biomarkers of oxidative stress. Additionally, maternal and infant stool, buccal swabs, and human milk samples will be banked for further microbiome analysis studies.

Studying Phenotypic Risks for Obesity and Underlying Traits in Young Infants

The purpose of this research study is to understand how infants metabolize different meals and to develop clinical tools which identify infants as having two different phenotypes. The phenotypes are the 1) metabolic "thriftiness" and 2) the metabolic flexibility.