Dietary supplementation of lactating Gambian women. I. Effect on breast milk volume and quality
1983
Prentice, A.M. | Roberts, Susan B. | Prentice, Ann | Paul, Alison A. | Watkinson, M. | Watkinson, Anne A. | Whitehead, R.G.
The effects of a high-energy, nutritionallly-balanced, formulated supplement (given in the form of biscuits and tea) were studied over a 12 month period under rigidly-controlled conditions on breast milk output and quality from 130 lactating West African women. Mean energy intake was found to increase from 1568 to 2291 kcal/day, protein intake exceeded the WHO/FAO recommended intake, and serious riboflavin, vitamin A, ascorbic acid, and calcium deficits were corrected. Use of the supplement, however, produced no effect on breast milk volume (relative to retrospective controls at any lactation state or yearly season), even for women having poor volume outputs. Mean breast milk protein levels slightly improved over the entire lactation period, but the total energy content was unchanged (caused by a counterbalancing increase in fat level and decrease in lactose level). Vitamin levels in the milk were improved for those vitamins for which the supplement supplied a significant portion of the recommended dietary intake. (wz)
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