Feeding Mom Feeding Infant's Microbiota: Nutritional Strategies for Improving Breast Milk Composition and Infant Health

The first 1000 days, i.e., the earliest stage of life, is a unique period of opportunity to establish the foundations of human growth and health through the lifespan. In the recent decades, multiple studies have explored nutritional strategies for improving infant health through improving the nutritive and bioactive compositions in breast milk. For example, dietary fiber intake has been increasingly reported to benefit the health of the mother-infant dyad. However, the complex interplays among maternal diet, breast milk composition, infant gut microbiota and infant development are yet to be elucidated in a prospective cohort. In addition, the investigators' previous work has revealed unsatisfactory dietary patterns in Hong Kong lactating women, with clear inadequacy in fruit and vegetable intake. In this prospective cohort study, the investigators aim to recruit 100 healthy Chinese mother-child pairs. Data on maternal and infant dietary intake, breast milk composition, gut microbiota profile will be collected and the investigators will examine their associations with the health outcomes in infants. In addition, the influence of dietary factors and genetic predisposition on breast milk components and its associated benefits in the child will be interrogated. With the employment of multidisciplinary research approaches, cutting-edge biotechnologies and the omics platforms, this project will provide novel insights into the dietary factors and breastfeeding practices that are beneficial to the infant developmental trajectory, and the potential roles of breast milk composition in shaping infant's gut microbiota and the associated health impact in the long term. More importantly, the investigators hope to generate more solid scientific data to inform the public of the importance of maternal diet and the practical nutritional strategies to improve breast milk composition for the sake of the child.