3.5. Correlation between energy supply ratio of three major
nutrients and triacylglycerol composition of breast milk
Pearson correlation coefficient analysis was performed on the energy
supply ratio of the three nutrients and breast milk TAGs. As shown in
Tables 3, MMM in breast milk was weakly positively correlated with
carbohydrate energy supply ratio (P < 0.05), MML was
strongly negatively correlated with protein energy supply ratio
(P < 0.05), and weakly positively correlated with
carbohydrate energy supply ratio (P < 0.05). The
contents of MLCT and MLL in breast milk were strongly positively
correlated with carbohydrate energy supply ratio (P <
0.05), strongly negatively correlated with protein energy supply ratio
(P < 0.05), and weakly negatively correlated with fat
energy supply ratio (P < 0.05). It also can be seen
from Table 4 that the content of 8:0-MLL, 10:0-MLL and 12:0-MLL in
breast milk of carbohydrate group was significantly higher than that of
protein group (P < 0.05). In particular, 12:0-MLL in
breast milk was strongly positively correlated with carbohydrate energy
ratio (P < 0.01), strongly negatively correlated with
protein energy ratio (P < 0.01), and weakly negatively
correlated with fat energy ratio (P < 0.05). UPU was
strongly positively correlated with protein energy ratio (P< 0.05), strongly negatively correlated with carbohydrate
energy ratio (P < 0.05), and weakly positively
correlated with fat energy ratio (P < 0.05).
The total content of MLCT and UPU in breast milk was not affected by
dietary structure, indicating that the total content of MLCT and UPU in
breast milk was relatively stable. Our previous study (Yu et al., 2022b)
also pointed out that the sum of MLCT and UPU was not affected by region
and lactation and remained stable. By changing the proportion of the
three major nutrients in the diet, changes in the TAG composition of
breast milk can be achieved, especially MLCT type TAG. In the face of
infants with poor absorption of medium and long chain fatty acids or
feeding intolerance, beneficial consequences can be produced by
adjusting the mother ’s diet.