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Probiotics during weaning: a follow-up study on effects on body composition and metabolic markers at school age

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Abstract

Purpose

An aberrant gut microbiome has been suggested to contribute to the worldwide epidemic of obesity. In animal models, the probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei F19 (LF19) induced upregulation of genes involved in energy homoeostasis, reduced body fat and altered the serum (S) lipoprotein profile. In our previous report, feeding LF19 to infants during weaning impacted the global plasma metabolome. LF19 lowered palmitoleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid associated with hypertriglyceridemia and increased visceral adiposity. Therefore, we assessed if feeding LF19 from 4 to 13 months of age would have long-term effects on body composition, growth and metabolic markers.

Methods

Of 179 children included in our baseline study, 120 entered the follow-up at 8–9 years of age, n = 58 in the probiotic and n = 62 in the placebo group. Body composition was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Anthropometrics of the child and accompanying parent(s) were assessed. S-lipids, insulin, glucose and transaminases were determined after overnight fasting.

Results

LF19 did not affect body mass index z-score, sagittal abdominal diameter, fat-free mass, fat mass index, truncal fat %, android or gynoid fat % and had no long-term impact on any of the assessed metabolic markers (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Feeding LF19 during infancy did not modulate body composition, growth or any of the assessed metabolic markers at school age. The steady increase in probiotic products targeting infants and children calls for long-term follow-up of initiated probiotic intervention studies.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express their gratitude to the participating families; research nurses Åsa Sundström for excellent assistance in the follow-up clinics; Lena Uddståhl for assisting with the DEXA scans; research assistant Catarina Lundell for running the ELISA analyses. The present study was supported by Arla Foods AB, Denmark; through regional agreement between Umeå University and Västerbotten county council on cooperation in the field of Medicine; European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement no. 222720; Ekhaga and Oskar Foundations; the Swedish Society of Medical Research; Stiftelsen Samariten; Insamlingsstiftelsen at Umeå University. Arla Foods AB personnel were involved in discussions regarding study design. Sponsors had no involvement in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, in writing the report or in the decision to submit the paper for publication. C. E. W and O. H were responsible for the design and funding of the project. C. E. W coordinated and supervised the study. F. K. V and H. S analysed the data. F. K. V, I. Ö and C. E. W wrote the manuscript. O. H and H. S contributed to the discussions. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Conflict of interest

Dr West has received funding and speaker honoraria from Arla Foods; speaker honoraria and travel assistance to attend conferences from Nestlé Nutrition. Prof Hernell is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Semper and Hero and has received funding from Semper AB and Arla Foods. The other authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Sciences, Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, SE-901 85, Umeå, Sweden

    Frida Karlsson Videhult, Inger Öhlund, Olle Hernell & Christina E. West

  2. Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, SE-901 85, Umeå, Sweden

    Hans Stenlund

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  1. Frida Karlsson Videhult
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  2. Inger Öhlund
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  5. Christina E. West
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Correspondence to Christina E. West.

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Karlsson Videhult, F., Öhlund, I., Stenlund, H. et al. Probiotics during weaning: a follow-up study on effects on body composition and metabolic markers at school age. Eur J Nutr 54, 355–363 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-014-0715-y

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