The multifaceted roles of fatty acids and their dysregulation in obese mothers: potential implications for infant development

Abstract

The increasing global rates of obesity underscore the need to investigate its impact on infant health. Breast milk, crucial for infant nutrition, varies in composition due to maternal obesity during pregnancy. Research reveals that obese or overweight mothers tend to have higher saturated fatty acids (SFAs) levels, like palmitic and myristic acids, while stearic acid levels are lower. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), particularly oleic acid in milk, decline in obesity. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), essential for infant brain and nervous system development, show imbalances in obese mothers, with an increased omega-6 (ω-6): omega-3 (ω-3) ratio and reduced levels of key ω-3 fatty acids such as α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These changes could disrupt normal immune and nervous system development in infants. This review highlights the critical impact of maternal obesity on breast milk quality.