Fatty Acid Composition in Breast Milk from 4 Regions of Thailand
Pipop Jirapinyo MD*, Narumon Densupsoontorn MD*, Dujdao Wiraboonchai MD*, Umaporn Vissavavejam MD*, Tharinee Tangtrakulvachira MD*, Paweena Chungsomprasong MD*, Nuchnoi Thamonsiri BSc*, Renu Wongarn BA*
Affiliation : * Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok
Background : DHA contents in breast milk varied upon maternal dietary intakes.
Objective : To study DHA contents in breast milk in Thai lactating women from four different regions of Thailand.
Material and Method: 20 mL of hind milk from 40 lactating women from Bangkok, Chantaburi, Tak, and
Surin were collected and analyzed for fatty acids contents by gas chromatography. Dietary intake of lactating
women after delivery until the present study was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire. Then, the
average DHA intake was estimated from the diets by using the reference data.
Results : DHA contents in breast milk of mothers from Surin were higher than those from other areas. There
were no correlations between history of DHA intake and DHA contents in breast milk.
Conclusion : DHA contents in breast milk vary from region to region of the country. Local dietary intake and
genetics might explain this contrast.
Keywords : Arachidonic acid, Breast milk, Docosahexaenoic acid, Fatty acids, Thai mothers
