Colostrum is extremely rich in bioactives that help reduce risk of food allergy, however, 80% of newborns are receiving formula during the first 48 hours of life.
At least a third of newborns are receiving formula in hospital during the first days of life. A practice shown to be associated with an increased risk of cow's milk allergy in high-income countries, and infection in low-to-middle income countries.
The CEED study introduces a paradigm shift in the understanding of the detrimental effect of early supplementation on newborn health. However, instead of focusing on cow's milk allergen or pathogens exposure, CEED is focused on the casuative role of a newborn's lack of colustrum.
Pilot data that indicates a lack of colostrum impairs development, therefore CEED hypothesises that colustrum deprivation, which is associated with newborn supplementation during the hospital stay, will be responsible for inhibits development. CEED hypothesises a lack of colostrum will also:
- Increase risk of allergy to major allergens (not only cow milk allergens) by contributing to two major underlying causes for allergy in infancy:
- Reduced tolerance to food allergens when introduced in the diet
- Increased sensitisation to food and respiratory allergens via a fragile skin barrier
- Increase risk of infectious diseases due to abnormal development of the gut barrier, gut immunity and gut microbiota
- Cause abormal growth due to atypical adipose tissue development
- Cause abnormal neurodevelopment due to atypical lipid intake and gut microbiota
CEED will be analysing the data from mother-child dyads of the ORIGINS birth cohort and the relationship between in-hospital supplementation and major health outcomes at one year that include the presence of allergies, child growth, instance of infectious disease and neurodevelopment.
Investigators:
- Professor Valerie Verhasselt at The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Dr Ravisha Srinivasjois at Ramsay Health Care
- Associate Professor Therese O'Sullivan at ECU
- Dr Matt Cooper at The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Louise Connolly Lactation Consultant at Armadale Hospital
- Ellie White Lactation Consultant at Joondalup Health Campus
- Dr Lieke van den Elsen at The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Dr Amy Finlay-Jones at The Kids Research Institute Australia
- Maheshwar Bahsin student at UWA's School of Biomedical Sciences, The Kids Research Institute Australia