Exclusive or partial breastfeeding and estimated protein intake in infancy: Associations with childhood growth and body composition at 7 years of age in the Odense Child Cohort

Karina Dyrvig Honoré; Signe Bruun; Kim F. Michaelsen; Sören Möller; Steffen Husby; Lotte Neergaard Jacobsen; Henrik Thybo Christesen; Marianne Skovsager Andersen; Gitte Zachariassen

doi:10.1111/jhn.13408

Exclusive or partial breastfeeding and estimated protein intake in infancy: Associations with childhood growth and body composition at 7 years of age in the Odense Child Cohort

Karina Dyrvig Honoré^*, Signe Bruun, Kim F. Michaelsen, Sören Möller, Steffen Husby, Lotte Neergaard Jacobsen, Henrik Thybo Christesen, Marianne Skovsager Andersen, Gitte Zachariassen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Lifecourse Nutrition & Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Background: Protein intake in infancy influences infant growth, body composition, and possibly metabolic programming later in life. Our objectives were to investigate whether macronutrient content in mother's own milk (MOM) differed between exclusive (EBF) or partial breastfeeding (PBF), including an estimation of protein intake (ePI) during the first 6 months of life. Second, to investigate associations of feeding type and ePI with childhood growth and body composition at 7 years. Methods: In a subset of 150 participants from the Odense Child Cohort, MOM was analysed for macronutrient content using midinfrared transmission spectroscopy. Information on breastfeeding duration was collected through weekly SMS questionnaires and used to calculate ePI. Outcomes were weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ) and height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) from birth to 7 years, and body composition in terms of dual X-ray absorptiometry fat mass, fat-free mass and calculated indexes at 7 years. Results: The macronutrient content in MOM did not differ between EBF and PBF, but ePI was significantly higher in PBF infants than in EBF infants at 6 months. We found no difference in WAZ or HAZ until 7 years of age according to feeding type, but within the PBF group, ePI was positively associated with 7-year WAZ (β = 0.001; 95% CI 0.000–0.003; p = 0.03) and HAZ (β = 0.002; 0.001–0.003;p = 0.007). ePI was not associated with body composition at 7 years. Conclusion: Milk macronutrient content and childhood growth did not differ between EBF and PBF during infancy. Estimated protein intake in partially breastfed infants was positively associated with childhood growth, but not body composition, at 7 years of age.

Original language	English
Article number	e13408
Journal	Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics
Volume	38
Issue number	1
ISSN	0952-3871
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.13408
Publication status	Published - 2025

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank all the participants and employees at the Odense Child Cohort. Thanks to Claire Gudex, medical writer at the University of Southern Denmark for English language editing. Thanks to scientific laboratory technician Mette Vogn Hviid for assistance with milk sample collection and analysing the macronutrient content in the samples. Finally, a special thanks to Donna Geddes, professor and director of Geddes Hartmann Human Lactation Research Group, the University of Western Australia for suggesting to estimate the 24-h milk intake and the total protein intake. Funding was provided by the Region of Southern Denmark, the Faculty Scholarship from the University of Southern Denmark, Arla Foods Ingredients Group P/S and Merchant A.V Lykfeldt and Wife's Fund.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Keywords

body composition
childhood growth
exclusive and partial breastfeeding
macronutrient content
mother's own milk
protein intake

Access to Document

10.1111/jhn.13408

Cite this

Honoré, K. D., Bruun, S., Michaelsen, K. F., Möller, S., Husby, S., Jacobsen, L. N., Christesen, H. T., Andersen, M. S., & Zachariassen, G. (2025). Exclusive or partial breastfeeding and estimated protein intake in infancy: Associations with childhood growth and body composition at 7 years of age in the Odense Child Cohort. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 38(1), [e13408]. https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.13408

Exclusive or partial breastfeeding and estimated protein intake in infancy : Associations with childhood growth and body composition at 7 years of age in the Odense Child Cohort. / Honoré, Karina Dyrvig; Bruun, Signe; Michaelsen, Kim F.; Möller, Sören; Husby, Steffen; Jacobsen, Lotte Neergaard; Christesen, Henrik Thybo; Andersen, Marianne Skovsager; Zachariassen, Gitte.

In: Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Vol. 38, No. 1, e13408, 2025.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Honoré, KD, Bruun, S, Michaelsen, KF, Möller, S, Husby, S, Jacobsen, LN, Christesen, HT, Andersen, MS & Zachariassen, G 2025, 'Exclusive or partial breastfeeding and estimated protein intake in infancy: Associations with childhood growth and body composition at 7 years of age in the Odense Child Cohort', Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, vol. 38, no. 1, e13408. https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.13408

Honoré, Karina Dyrvig ; Bruun, Signe ; Michaelsen, Kim F. ; Möller, Sören ; Husby, Steffen ; Jacobsen, Lotte Neergaard ; Christesen, Henrik Thybo ; Andersen, Marianne Skovsager ; Zachariassen, Gitte. / Exclusive or partial breastfeeding and estimated protein intake in infancy : Associations with childhood growth and body composition at 7 years of age in the Odense Child Cohort. In: Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. 2025 ; Vol. 38, No. 1.

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title = "Exclusive or partial breastfeeding and estimated protein intake in infancy: Associations with childhood growth and body composition at 7 years of age in the Odense Child Cohort",

abstract = "Background: Protein intake in infancy influences infant growth, body composition, and possibly metabolic programming later in life. Our objectives were to investigate whether macronutrient content in mother's own milk (MOM) differed between exclusive (EBF) or partial breastfeeding (PBF), including an estimation of protein intake (ePI) during the first 6 months of life. Second, to investigate associations of feeding type and ePI with childhood growth and body composition at 7 years. Methods: In a subset of 150 participants from the Odense Child Cohort, MOM was analysed for macronutrient content using midinfrared transmission spectroscopy. Information on breastfeeding duration was collected through weekly SMS questionnaires and used to calculate ePI. Outcomes were weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ) and height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) from birth to 7 years, and body composition in terms of dual X-ray absorptiometry fat mass, fat-free mass and calculated indexes at 7 years. Results: The macronutrient content in MOM did not differ between EBF and PBF, but ePI was significantly higher in PBF infants than in EBF infants at 6 months. We found no difference in WAZ or HAZ until 7 years of age according to feeding type, but within the PBF group, ePI was positively associated with 7-year WAZ (β = 0.001; 95% CI 0.000–0.003; p = 0.03) and HAZ (β = 0.002; 0.001–0.003;p = 0.007). ePI was not associated with body composition at 7 years. Conclusion: Milk macronutrient content and childhood growth did not differ between EBF and PBF during infancy. Estimated protein intake in partially breastfed infants was positively associated with childhood growth, but not body composition, at 7 years of age.",

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author = "Honor{\'e}, {Karina Dyrvig} and Signe Bruun and Michaelsen, {Kim F.} and S{\"o}ren M{\"o}ller and Steffen Husby and Jacobsen, {Lotte Neergaard} and Christesen, {Henrik Thybo} and Andersen, {Marianne Skovsager} and Gitte Zachariassen",

note = "Funding Information: We thank all the participants and employees at the Odense Child Cohort. Thanks to Claire Gudex, medical writer at the University of Southern Denmark for English language editing. Thanks to scientific laboratory technician Mette Vogn Hviid for assistance with milk sample collection and analysing the macronutrient content in the samples. Finally, a special thanks to Donna Geddes, professor and director of Geddes Hartmann Human Lactation Research Group, the University of Western Australia for suggesting to estimate the 24-h milk intake and the total protein intake. Funding was provided by the Region of Southern Denmark, the Faculty Scholarship from the University of Southern Denmark, Arla Foods Ingredients Group P/S and Merchant A.V Lykfeldt and Wife's Fund. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1111/jhn.13408",

language = "English",

volume = "38",

journal = "Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Exclusive or partial breastfeeding and estimated protein intake in infancy

T2 - Associations with childhood growth and body composition at 7 years of age in the Odense Child Cohort

AU - Honoré, Karina Dyrvig

AU - Bruun, Signe

AU - Michaelsen, Kim F.

AU - Möller, Sören

AU - Husby, Steffen

AU - Jacobsen, Lotte Neergaard

AU - Christesen, Henrik Thybo

AU - Andersen, Marianne Skovsager

AU - Zachariassen, Gitte

N1 - Funding Information: We thank all the participants and employees at the Odense Child Cohort. Thanks to Claire Gudex, medical writer at the University of Southern Denmark for English language editing. Thanks to scientific laboratory technician Mette Vogn Hviid for assistance with milk sample collection and analysing the macronutrient content in the samples. Finally, a special thanks to Donna Geddes, professor and director of Geddes Hartmann Human Lactation Research Group, the University of Western Australia for suggesting to estimate the 24-h milk intake and the total protein intake. Funding was provided by the Region of Southern Denmark, the Faculty Scholarship from the University of Southern Denmark, Arla Foods Ingredients Group P/S and Merchant A.V Lykfeldt and Wife's Fund. Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Background: Protein intake in infancy influences infant growth, body composition, and possibly metabolic programming later in life. Our objectives were to investigate whether macronutrient content in mother's own milk (MOM) differed between exclusive (EBF) or partial breastfeeding (PBF), including an estimation of protein intake (ePI) during the first 6 months of life. Second, to investigate associations of feeding type and ePI with childhood growth and body composition at 7 years. Methods: In a subset of 150 participants from the Odense Child Cohort, MOM was analysed for macronutrient content using midinfrared transmission spectroscopy. Information on breastfeeding duration was collected through weekly SMS questionnaires and used to calculate ePI. Outcomes were weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ) and height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) from birth to 7 years, and body composition in terms of dual X-ray absorptiometry fat mass, fat-free mass and calculated indexes at 7 years. Results: The macronutrient content in MOM did not differ between EBF and PBF, but ePI was significantly higher in PBF infants than in EBF infants at 6 months. We found no difference in WAZ or HAZ until 7 years of age according to feeding type, but within the PBF group, ePI was positively associated with 7-year WAZ (β = 0.001; 95% CI 0.000–0.003; p = 0.03) and HAZ (β = 0.002; 0.001–0.003;p = 0.007). ePI was not associated with body composition at 7 years. Conclusion: Milk macronutrient content and childhood growth did not differ between EBF and PBF during infancy. Estimated protein intake in partially breastfed infants was positively associated with childhood growth, but not body composition, at 7 years of age.

AB - Background: Protein intake in infancy influences infant growth, body composition, and possibly metabolic programming later in life. Our objectives were to investigate whether macronutrient content in mother's own milk (MOM) differed between exclusive (EBF) or partial breastfeeding (PBF), including an estimation of protein intake (ePI) during the first 6 months of life. Second, to investigate associations of feeding type and ePI with childhood growth and body composition at 7 years. Methods: In a subset of 150 participants from the Odense Child Cohort, MOM was analysed for macronutrient content using midinfrared transmission spectroscopy. Information on breastfeeding duration was collected through weekly SMS questionnaires and used to calculate ePI. Outcomes were weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ) and height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) from birth to 7 years, and body composition in terms of dual X-ray absorptiometry fat mass, fat-free mass and calculated indexes at 7 years. Results: The macronutrient content in MOM did not differ between EBF and PBF, but ePI was significantly higher in PBF infants than in EBF infants at 6 months. We found no difference in WAZ or HAZ until 7 years of age according to feeding type, but within the PBF group, ePI was positively associated with 7-year WAZ (β = 0.001; 95% CI 0.000–0.003; p = 0.03) and HAZ (β = 0.002; 0.001–0.003;p = 0.007). ePI was not associated with body composition at 7 years. Conclusion: Milk macronutrient content and childhood growth did not differ between EBF and PBF during infancy. Estimated protein intake in partially breastfed infants was positively associated with childhood growth, but not body composition, at 7 years of age.

KW - body composition

KW - childhood growth

KW - exclusive and partial breastfeeding

KW - macronutrient content

KW - mother's own milk

KW - protein intake

U2 - 10.1111/jhn.13408

DO - 10.1111/jhn.13408

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 39639675

AN - SCOPUS:85211188184

VL - 38

JO - Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics

JF - Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics

SN - 0952-3871

IS - 1

M1 - e13408

ER -