Effect of traditional food supplements on nutritional status of lactating mothers and growth of their infants

ObjectivesDuring lactation, traditional food supplements (TFS) are commonly consumed in India to increase lactation performance and health of mothers. TFS are rich in fats, nuts, dry fruits, and sugars and indulging in such supplements for 3 to 6 mo postpartum may put the mother at risk for obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the nutrient quality of TFS and its effect on nutritional status of lactating mothers and infant's weight gain in first 6 mo after delivery.MethodsA random sample of 125 Indian urban lactating mothers (28.9 ± 3.2 y) was assessed within 6 mo postpartum for anthropometry, diet by 24-h recall on 3 random days, along with socioeconomic factors, lactation history, and infant's birth weight and current weight.ResultsAmong 18 different TFS, 50% TFS were rich in calcium, 33% rich in iron, 38% in zinc, and only 13% were good sources of vitamins. Mothers consuming TFS (n = 75) had significantly higher fat intakes than mothers consuming no TFS Supplements (NTS; n = 50). A higher weight gain was seen in TFS mothers (10.5%) than NTS mothers (8.8%) after adjusting for number of days after delivery, parity, mother's age, and breast-feeding practices (P < 0.05). Percent weight gain in infants of TFS mothers (120.7% ± 7.3%) was higher than in infants of NTS mothers (96.2% ± 7.8%; P = 0.024) after adjusting for infant's age and mother's breast-feeding practices.ConclusionTFS may be modified to increase its micronutrient quality and to reduce fat contents with the goal of reducing the risk for obesity in mothers, while still benefiting infant growth.