Maternal supplement

Abstract

The use of docosahexaenoic acid in the manufacture of a composition for administration to a pregnant woman for reducing the risk of development of overweight or obesity of the baby in infancy and/or early childhood.

1 . A method for reducing the risk of development of overweight or obesity of a baby in infancy and/or early childhood comprising the steps of administering a composition comprising docosahexaenoic acid to a newborn baby for a period not exceeding three months. 
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered to the baby via a breast feeding mother. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered directly to the baby. 
   
   
       4 . A method for reducing the risk of development of overweight or obesity of a baby in infancy and/or early childhood comprising the steps of administering a composition comprising docosahexaenoic acid to a pregnant woman. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the composition comprises from 100 to 500 mg of docosahexaenoic acid per daily dose. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the composition comprises from 2 to 8 g of dietary fibre per daily dose. 
   
   
       7 . The use of  claim 6 , wherein the dietary fibre is a mixture of short and long chain fructo-oligosaccharides produced by the hydrolysis of inulin. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the composition comprises one or more of the micronutrients selected from the group consisting of, in the ranges given:- 300 to 500 mg calcium, 50 to 100 mg magnesium, 150 to 250 mg phosphorus, 5 to 20 mg iron, 1 to 7 mg zinc, 0.1 to 0.3 mg copper, 50 to 200 μg iodine, 5 to 15 μg selenium, 1000 to 3000 μg beta carotene, 10 to 80 mg Vitamin C, 1 to 2 mg Vitamin B1, 0.5 to 1.5 mg Vitamin B6, 0.5 to 2 mg Vitamin B2, 5 to 18 mg niacin, 0.5 to 2.0 μg Vitamin B12, 100 to 800 μg folic acid, 30 to 70 μg biotin, 1 to 5 μg Vitamin D, and 3 to 10 IU Vitamin E. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the composition comprises a probiotic bacterial strain. 
   
   
       10 . The use of  claim 9 , wherein the probiotic bacterial strain is  Lactobacillus rhamnosus  CGMCC 1.3724. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from 100 to 500 mg of docosahexaenoic acid per daily dose. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from 2 to 8 g of dietary fibre per daily dose. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the dietary fibre is a mixture of short and long chain fructo-oligosaccharides produced by the hydrolysis of inulin. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the composition comprises one or more of the micronutrients selected from the group consisting of, in the ranges given: 300 to 500 mg calcium, 50 to 100 mg magnesium, 150 to 250 mg phosphorus, 5 to 20 mg iron, 1 to 7 mg zinc, 0.1 to 0.3 mg copper, 50 to 200 μg iodine, 5 to 15 μg selenium, 1000 to 3000 μg beta carotene, 10 to 80 mg Vitamin C, 1 to 2 mg Vitamin B1, 0.5 to 1.5 mg Vitamin B6, 0.5 to 2 mg Vitamin B2, 5 to 18 mg niacin, 0.5 to 2.0 μg Vitamin B12, 100 to 800 μg folic acid, 30 to 70 μg biotin, 1 to 5 μg Vitamin D, and 3 to 10 IU Vitamin E. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the composition additionally comprises a probiotic bacterial strain. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the composition additionally comprises a probiotic bacterial strain. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the probiotic bacterial strain is Lactobacillus rhamnosus CGMCC 1.3724. 
   
   
       18 . A method for reducing the risk of development of overweight or obesity in a baby comprising the steps of administering a composition comprising docosahexaenoic acid to a pregnant woman in at least the third trimester of pregnancy. 
   
   
       19 . he method of  claim 18 , wherein the composition comprises from 100 to 500 mg of docosahexaenoic acid per daily dose. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the composition comprises from 2 to 8 g of dietary fibre per daily dose. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the dietary fibre is a mixture of short and long chain fructo-oligosaccharides produced by the hydrolysis of inulin. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the composition comprises one or more of the micronutrients selected from the group consisting of, in the ranges given: 300 to 500 mg calcium, 50 to 100 mg magnesium, 150 to 250 mg phosphorus, 5 to 20 mg iron, 1 to 7 mg zinc, 0.1 to 0.3 mg copper, 50 to 200 μg iodine, 5 to 15 μg selenium, 1000 to 3000 μg beta carotene, 10 to 80 mg Vitamin C, 1 to 2 mg Vitamin B1, 0.5 to 1.5 mg Vitamin B6, 0.5 to 2 mg Vitamin B2, 5 to 18 mg niacin, 0.5 to 2.0 μg Vitamin B12, 100 to 800 μg folic acid, 30 to 70 μg biotin, 1 to 5 μg Vitamin D, and 3 to 10 IU Vitamin E. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the composition additionally comprises a probiotic bacterial strain. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the probiotic bacterial strain is Lactobacillus rhamnosus CGMCC 1.3724. 
   
   
       25 . A method for production of a composition for administration to a pregnant woman for reducing the risk of development of overweight or obesity of the baby in infancy and/or early childhood comprising the step of using docosahexaenoic acid to produce the composition.