Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are complex unconjugated glycans associated with positive infant health outcomes. This study has examined current knowledge of the effect of maternal diet and nutritional status on the composition of HMOs in breast milk. Using the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a comprehensive, systematic literature search was conducted using Scopus, Web of Science, Global Health (CABI), and MEDLINE. Titles and abstracts were screened independently by two reviewers against predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria and reported on maternal dietary intake (n = 3), maternal body composition indices (n = 9), and dietary supplementation interventions (n = 2). In total, data from 1388 lactating mothers (4011 milk samples) were included. Design methodologies varied substantially across studies, particularly for milk sample collection, HMO analysis, dietary and body composition assessment. Overall, this review has identified potential associations between maternal dietary intake and nutritional status and the HMO composition of human milk, though an abundance and sufficiency of evidence is lacking. Standardised procedures for human milk sample collection and HMO analysis, along with robust and validated nutrition assessment techniques, should be employed to further investigate the impact of maternal nutritional factors on HMO composition.

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are complex glycans associated with positive infant health outcomes. The concentrations of HMOs in the milk of lactating women are associated with substantial intra- and inter-individual differences and may be influenced by maternal physiological and/or nutrition-related factors. The primary aim of this study was to explore potential influences of short-term maternal diet and current body composition on HMO profiles in mature human milk. Milk samples were collected at 3–4 months postpartum from 101 healthy Australian women using standardised procedures, and analysed for macronutrients (lactose, fat, and protein). In addition, HMO concentrations were analysed using liquid-chromatography mass-spectrometry (LC-MS). Maternal dietary data were collected using three validated 24-h dietary recalls, and the body composition of a subgroup of mothers was assessed by DEXA scans (n = 30). Most (79%) of the women were secretor-positive. Individual nutrients were not significantly correlated with HMO concentrations after correction for multiple comparisons (p > 0.05), except for dietary folate intake. DEXA scans revealed no associations between HMO profiles and maternal body composition during established lactation. The study findings suggest a lack of clear and consistent associations between maternal nutrition and HMO concentrations in mature human milk from healthy lactating women with adequate dietary intake. The prevailing influence of genetic variation in lactating mothers may overshadow any impact of maternal nutritional and/or physiological status on HMO composition in mature human milk.

The assessment of body composition during lactation is an important indicator of maternal nutritional status, which is central to the overall health of the mother and child. The lactating woman’s nutritional status potentially impacts on breastmilk composition and the process of lactation itself. The purpose of this scoping review was to synthesize comparative studies that sought to validate various body composition assessment techniques for use in lactating women in the postpartum period. Using the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a comprehensive, systematic literature search was conducted using Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed. Eight comparative studies were included in the review, with data from 320 postpartum women. The design methodologies varied substantially across studies, and included a range of simple techniques to advanced multi-compartment models for assessing body composition. The validity and reliability of measurement tools must be considered alongside issues of safety, practicality, and appropriateness to guide the research design when applied to lactating women.

Online service delivery is an alternative to face-to-face interventions for harmful alcohol use. However, little evidence evaluates its relative efficacy or the demographic characteristics of clients accessing these services. Archival demographic and treatment outcome data collected from 82 clients who undertook online or face-to-face extended brief interventions (EBI) were analysed. Measures included a pre-treatment Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) and pre/post well-being and drinking behaviour measures. Clients in the online sample were on average younger, scored higher on the AUDIT, were in work/training more days a month and attended a greater number of sessions. After controlling for differences in treatment mode and age, online EBI led to greater increases in quality of life and fewer drinking days. Online EBI may provide an important alternate service delivery mode for harmful alcohol use, which may be accessed more frequently by younger and higher risk clients.