Breastfeeding has become increasingly prevalent for lactating women worldwide, but breastfeeding rate in Hong Kong remains low. To enrich the references, The Laboratory for Infant and Child Nutrition set up by PolyU’s Food Safety and Technology Research Centre (FSTRC) has analyzed the diet habits and nutritional composition of breast milk of local lactating women, and established Hong Kong’s first breast milk nutrient database.
Led by Dr Wong Man-sau, Associate Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology and Deputy Director of FSTRC, the research team conducted a diet survey with 74 lactating women as research subjects and analyzed the level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHA, EPA and AA) of their breast milk last year. According to the findings of the diet survey, the most frequently consumed fish type was salmon, amounting to once every five days. Also, the results of nutrients study showed that the DHA level in over 80% of the subjects’ breast milk met the adequate intake level recommended by the Chinese Dietary Reference Intakes (based on daily consumption at 750ml); and hence, sufficient DHA could be supplied to infant for brain and vision development.
In the coming six months, the research team will test the level of essential element (calcium) and trace elements (zinc, iron, iodine and selenium) of the breast milk and further investigate the nutrient data from diet survey; thus enriching the breast milk database. Details>>