(P27-039-25) Regional Fat Assessment Using Ultrasound in Breastfed Versus Formula-Fed Infants: The MINT Study

Objectives: To evaluate regional fat distribution in 5-month-old infants based on their mode of feeding using abdominal ultrasound.

Methods: Healthy, 5-month-old full-term infants were recruited from Denver, CO, USA to participate in an ongoing randomized controlled trial (the MINT study); for this exploratory analysis, infant regional fat distribution was measured at Children’s Hospital Colorado via abdominal ultrasound conducted by trained radiology technologists at enrollment (5 months). The abdominal ultrasound measured adipose tissue (presented in millimeters [mm]) included abdominal subcutaneous fat, preperitoneal fat, visceral fat, thigh subcutaneous fat, and triceps subcutaneous fat, along with visceral fat. Independent t-tests were conducted to compare fat distribution measurements based on mode of feeding with statistical significance set at p< 0.05.

Results: 44 infants completed the ultrasound assessment. N=24 infants were exclusively breastfed (EBF), and N=20 were non-breastfed (NBF, mixed fed and exclusively formula fed). The mean naked weight was 6.5±0.8 kg for EBF infants and 6.7 ± 0.9 kg for NBF infants (p=0.57). Similarly, the weight-for-age z-scores averaged 0.85 ± 0.45 for EBF infants and 0.90 ± 0.50 for NBF infants (p=0.68). No statistically significant differences were observed in abdominal subcutaneous fat, for EBF infants at 6.2 ± 1.2mm and NBF at 6.4 ± 1.3mm (p=0.70), preperitoneal fat for EBF infants was 2.5 ± 0.6mm and NBF infants was 2.6 ± 0.5mm (p=0.38), visceral fat for EBF infants was 2.9 ± 0.7mm and for NBF infants was 3.2 ± 0.8mm (p=0.13), thigh subcutaneous fat for EBF was 8.4 ± 1.1mm and NBF infants was 8.5 ± 1.2mm (p=0.72), and for triceps subcutaneous fat, EBF infants was 5.3 ± 0.8mm and NBF infants was 5.8 ± 0.9mm (p=0.10).

Conclusions: Preliminary results show no statistically significant differences in regional fat distribution at 5 months of age between EBF infants and NBF infants. However, trends observed in visceral, and triceps subcutaneous fat suggest potential variations in fat deposition patterns based on mode of feeding during the first 5 months of life. More research assessing fat content and distribution in infants is needed.

Funding Sources: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Dairy Council, Mead Johnson Nutrition, and CCTSI