These results suggest that the ability of phagocytes to eliminate ETEC depends on the activation of cellular oxidative metabolism; moreover, activation of colostral phagocytes is likely an additional breast-feeding protection mechanism against intestinal infections in infants.

BackgroundObesity in pregnancy is associated with systemic inflammation, immunological changes and adverse maternal-fetal outcomes. Information on the association between maternal obesity and breast milk composition is scarce. This study describes changes and relationships between biochemical and immunological parameters of colostrum and serum of overweight and obese women.MethodsColostrum and blood samples were collected from 25 normal weight, 24 overweight and 19 obese women for determination of glucose, total protein, triglycerides, cholesterol, immunoglobulins, complement proteins (C3 and C4), fat and calorie content and C-reactive protein (CRP).ResultsGlucose was higher in colostrum of obese women (p = .002). In normal weight and obese women, total protein content was higher in colostrum than in serum (p = .001). Serum triglycerides (p = .008) and cholesterol (p = .010) concentrations were significantly higher in overweight and obese women than in their normal weight counterparts, but in colostrum their concentrations were similar across the three groups. Secretory IgA (sIgA) in colostrum and IgA in serum concentrations were significantly higher (p = .001) in overweight and obese mothers, whereas IgG and IgM concentrations did not vary among the groups (p = .825). Serum C3 (p = .001) and C4 (p = .040) concentrations were higher in obese women. No differences in colostrum complement proteins were detected among the groups. Calorie content (p = .003) and fat (p = .005) concentrations in colostrum and serum CRP (p = .002) were higher in obese women.ConclusionsThe results corroborate the hypothesis that colostrum of overweight and obese women undergoes biochemical and immunological changes that affect its composition, namely increasing glucose concentrations, calorie content, fat and sIgA concentrations.

Breast milk contains bioactive components that contribute to newborn development. However, colostrum may undergo biochemical and immunological changes as a function of maternal overweight and obesity. To investigate this hypothesis, this study determined the levels of hormones and immunological markers in the serum and colostrum of overweight and obese mothers. Colostrum and serum samples were collected from 15 normoweight, 15 overweight, and 15 obese women for determination of leptin, adiponectin, cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Obese mothers exhibited higher levels of serum TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP, serum and colostrum leptin and colostrum adiponectin and lower levels of serum adiponectin. Leptin levels in maternal serum and colostrum were positively correlated, as was pre-pregnancy BMI and serum TNF-α, IL-6, CRP, and leptin. Adiponectin levels in colostrum and serum were negatively correlated. The results suggest that obesity changes hormonal and immunological components of maternal serum and colostrum. The modifications can have short-term and long-term effects on newborn development. © 2016 BioFactors, 43(2):243-250, 2017.

The attitudes of primary school children to breastfeeding and the effect of health education lectures ResumoObjetivo: Avaliar a percepção de estudantes do ensino fundamental em relação ao aleitamento materno e a influência de palestra educativa sobre seus conhecimentos. Métodos:Realizou-se um estudo transversal em cinco escolas, envolvendo 503 estudantes da quarta à oitava série, de ambos os sexos, divididos em dois grupos, controle (n = 215) e de intervenção (n = 288), para avaliar a influência de palestra educativa. Para a coleta de dados, utilizou-se um questionário contendo 30 questões sobre diferentes aspectos da amamentação. A intervenção consistiu em uma palestra com duração de 30 minutos realizada nas escolas.Resultados: A palestra aumentou o número de alunos que responderam que o leite materno é o mais adequado para a criança (p < 0,05) e que o ato de amamentar é a forma mais prática de alimentação (p < 0,05). Houve redução na intenção de realizar a suplementação alimentar no primeiro mês de vida (p < 0,05) e na oferta de chupeta ao bebê (p < 0,05). Após a intervenção, menos da metade das meninas optaria por um tempo de aleitamento igual a 1 ano ou mais (39,1% no grupo controle versus 43,2% no de intervenção); verificou-se o oposto para o sexo masculino (54,7% no controle versus 51,7% no de intervenção). Os meninos souberam citar vantagens específicas da amamentação para as mães com maior freqüência (37,1%), quando comparados ao sexo feminino (19,9%). Conclusão:Os resultados indicam que palestras de educação em saúde, realizadas em escolas, exercem influência benéfica sobre o conhecimento, percepção e atitudes em relação ao aleitamento materno.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2008;84(3):224-231: Aleitamento materno, educação em saúde, estudantes. AbstractObjective: To assess attitudes to breastfeeding among children in primary education and to evaluate the influence of educational lectures on their knowledge.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 503 students of both sexes from the fourth to the eighth grades of five different schools. The children were divided into two groups: control (n = 215) and intervention (n = 288) in order to evaluate the influence of educational lectures. A questionnaire containing 30 questions about different features of breastfeeding was used for data collection. The intervention took the form of a 30-minute lecture, given at the schools. Results:The lecture increased the number of schoolchildren who answered that breastmilk is most beneficial for infants (p < 0.05) and that breastfeeding is the most practical way of feeding babies (p < 0.05). There was a reduction in the number who would give supplementary feeding during the first month of life (p < 0.05) and also in how many would give a baby a pacifier (p < 0.05). After the intervention less than half of the girls would chose to breastfeed for 1 year or more (39.1% in the control group vs. 43.2% in the intervention group); while the opposite was true of the males (54.7% in the control group vs. 51.7% in the intervention group). M...