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Previous reports suggested that food proteins present in human milk (HM) may trigger symptoms in allergic children during breastfeeding, but existing evidence has never been reviewed systematically.
Complementary feeding induces dramatic ecological shifts in the infant gut microbiota toward more diverse compositions and functional metabolic capacities, with potential implications for immune and metabolic health. The aim of this study was to examine whether the age at which solid foods are introduced differentially affects the microbiota in predominantly breastfed infants compared with predominantly formula-fed infants.
This manuscript sheds light on the impact of maternal breast milk antibodies on infant health. Milk antibodies prepare and protect the newborn against environmental exposure, guide and regulate the offspring's immune system, and promote transgenerational adaptation of the immune system to its environment.
Colostrum is the first milk for a newborn. Its high content in microbiota shaping compounds and its intake at the time of gut microbiota seeding suggests colostrum may be critical in the establishment of a healthy microbiota. There is also accumulating evidence on the importance of the gut microbiota for healthy growth.
The first few days of life are characterized by rapid external and internal changes that require substantial immune system adaptations. Despite growing evidence of the impact of this period on lifelong immune health, this period remains largely uncharted.
In this review, we will highlight infants' immune responses to food, emphasizing the unique aspects of early-life immunity and the critical role of breast milk as a food dedicated to infants. Infants are susceptible to inflammatory responses rather than immune tolerance at the mucosal and skin barriers, necessitating strategies to promote oral tolerance that consider this susceptibility.
This study highlights the importance of human milk in providing anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 immunity to newborns. The highest protective activity of human milk against COVID-19 was found in colostrum from infected mothers.
Citation: Bailey HD. Exploring Exclusive Breastfeeding and Childhood Cancer Using Linked Data. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(3):e243075 Keywords:
Children in low-mid income countries, and First Nations children in high-income countries, experience disproportionately high rates of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae infections and diseases including pneumonia and otitis media.
Infant growth trajectory may influence later-life obesity. Human milk provides a wide range of nutritional and bioactive components that are vital for infant growth. Compared to formula-fed infants, breastfed infants are less likely to develop later-onset obesity, highlighting the potential role of bioactive components present in human milk.