Nutritional compositions with large lipid globule size

Abstract

The present invention relates to a nutritional composition for infants and / or toddlers comprising a lipid component which has a large lipid globule size, having a volume weighted mode diameter above 1.0 μm and / or with a diameter of 2 to 12 μm in a amount of at least 45 volume % based on total lipid. The composition can be used to increase bone mineral content and / or bone mass density, to prevent osteoporosis and / or osteopenia and for the further prevention of obesity.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates to the field of infant milk formula and growing up milks for improving bone health.BACKGROUND[0002]Breast-feeding is the preferred method of feeding infants. However, there are circumstances that make breast-feeding impossible or less desirable. In those cases infant formulae are a good alternative. The composition of modern infant formulae is adapted in such a way that it meets many of the special nutritional requirements of the fast growing and developing infant.[0003]However, differences between breast feeding and feeding infant formulae exist. Breastfeeding in early life is associated with higher bone mass density and bone mineral content later in life during childhood and early adolescence compared with those who were bottle-fed. The implication of this observation is that osteoporosis prevention programs need to start very early in the life cycle. Adult degenerative bone disease (osteoporosis), a major public health problem in ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]The present invention relates to infant formulae or growing up milks for toddlers comprising vegetable fats with a lipid globule size larger than that of standard infant formulae. The present composition comprises lipid globules with a lipid volume-weighted mode diameter of above 1.0 μm, preferably between 1.0 and 10 μm, and / or with at least 45, more preferably at least 55 volume % with a diameter of 2 to 12 μm based on total lipid. This can be achieved upon homogenizing of the lipid component comprising vegetable fat at lower pressures, preferably in the presence of polar lipids, in order to coat the enlarged lipid globules and make them more stable. It was found that the thus obtained oil in water emulsion is stable for at least 48 h. Especially when the formulae is dried to a powder and subsequently reconstituted with water to a ready to drink formula shortly before use, no disadvantageous effects regarding stability are observed.

[0013]It has now surprisingly been found that the size of the lipid globule administered early in life is one of the determinative factors which affect body composition, in particular bone mineral content and bone mass density and / or lean body mass, later in life. The present invention therefore can be used for food compositions intended for infants and / or toddlers in order to increase bone mineral content and / or increase bone mass density. The present invention therefore can be used for food compositions intended for infants and / or toddlers in order to prevent or reduce the risk for osteoporosis later in life, for the enhancement of bone formation and bone mass maximization and for the enhancement of bone formation in infants and young children.

[0014]The present invention also allows to formulate infant milk formulae with high levels of palmitic and stearic acid, as observed in human milk and with the use of natural lipids, i.e. without the use of synthetically made triglycerides, which are more expensive and subject to strict food legislations. The use of the synthetically made lipids with palmitic acid in the sn-2 position has the additional disadvantage of having direct diet effects regarding body weight, lean body mass and increasing fat mass. Surprisingly, it was found that while increasing BMD and BMC, advantageously fat mass and relative fat mass was decreased later in life using the lipid globules of the present invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016]for increasing bone mass density and / or increasing bone mineral content and or

[0018]said method comprising administering to a human subject a nutritional composition comprising

[0019]a) 10 to 50 wt. % vegetable lipids based on dry weight of the composition, and

Problems solved by technology

However, there are circumstances that make breast-feeding impossible or less desirable.

However, differences between breast feeding and feeding infant formulae exist.

The n-1, 3 positions of vegetable fats, normally used in infant formulae, are rich in saturated fatty acids such as palmitate and stearate and are not appropriate to be used in infant nutrition.

This results in the loss of crucial calcium.