Fat in human milk

The energy value of human milk is determined by the levels of protein, sugars and fats. One gram of fat supplies just a bit more energy than one gam of lactose plus one gram of protein. The fat content in human milk is also the most changeable component. The Hartmann group in Australia (Mitoulas et al 2002)  did an intensive research on the levels of lactose, proteins and fat in human milk and they found a big differentiation in fat levels throughout the day and the total breastfeeding period (12 months) they monitored. Total energy delivered to the child per day did not differ between the breasts of individual women. Powe at al found in a rc4nt study, howeve, that mothers produce milk with a higher energy density for boys than for girls, boys rciving up to 25% more energy than girls. This might explain the faster growth of boys when compared with girls.

Van Veldhuizen-Staas CGA: Samenstelling van moedermelk: Suiker en vet. http://eurolac.net/index.php?p=122

Van Veldhuizen-Staas CGA: Vet in moedermelk: functie, waarde en bepaling. http://eurolac.net/index.php?p=126

Mitoulas LR, Kent JC, Cox DB, Owens RA,  Sherriff JL, Hartmann PE: Variation in fat, lactose and protein in human milk over 24h and throughout the first year of lactation. British Journal of Nutrition 2002, 88(01):29-37

Powe CE., Knott CD, Conklin-Brittain N: Infant sex predicts breast milk energy content. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2010, 22(1):50-54