Avocado Consumption, Nutrients in Human Milk, and Infant Cognitive Development

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL · Jan 5, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring how eating avocados can benefit breastfeeding mothers and their infants, particularly in terms of brain development. Specifically, the study aims to see if mothers can eat five avocados a week for 12 weeks and how this affects the nutrients in their breast milk, like choline and lutein, which are important for a baby's brain. Additionally, researchers will compare the cognitive skills of infants whose mothers consume avocados with those whose mothers do not.

To participate in the study, mothers must be healthy, breastfeeding, and around 13 weeks postpartum, planning to exclusively breastfeed for the first six months. They will receive avocados every two weeks and will be asked to eat one avocado daily. Researchers will check the infants' cognitive development at 4.5 and 6 months old and will collect breast milk samples and dietary information throughout the trial. This study is currently recruiting participants, and it’s important to note that mothers with certain health issues or family allergies may not be eligible.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• • Inclusion Criteria
• • Healthy lactating women at 13 weeks postpartum
• • Planning to exclusively breastfeed to 6 months of age
• • Gave birth at 38 weeks or greater gestation without remarkable incident
• • Pre-pregnancy BMI \<30
• • Exclusion Criteria
• • Gestational diabetes
• • Infant with diagnosis or documented suspicion of developmental delay
• • Any documented seizure activity in infant
• • Family history of avocado, latex, or banana allergies