Infant feeding and the body burden of aluminium

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    The contribution of breast and formula feeding to the body burden of aluminium in infants (0-12 months)

  • IRAS ID

    148651

  • Contact name

    Christopher Exley

  • Contact email

    c.exley@keele.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    THE DUDLEY GROUP NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    2 years, 0 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    The hypothesis being tested in the study is that infant feeding, specifically combinations of breast and formula feeds, will have no influence upon the amount of aluminium retained in infants at 0 1.5, 3, 6 and 12 months of age.

    The aim of the research is to study the amount of aluminium retained in infants, with particular regards to infant feeding, specifically the roles of breast milk and formula feeding as sources of dietary aluminium. There are currently no data for the amount of aluminium retained in infants in this (or any) age group.

    The primary objective is to monitor urine excretion of aluminium in term infants fed breast milk, infant formula and term infants fed combinations of the two over the first 12 months of their lives. Additional variables will include urine creatinine (Crt) and urine excretion of silicon (Si).

    The research will additionally monitor aluminium levels through the collection of hair samples as a secondary indicator. Both methods will be used for measuring the aluminium retention in infants. The data collected will be then used to establish if there are any relationships between the amount of aluminium retained and the type of infant feeding.

  • REC name

    West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    14/WM/1114

  • Date of REC Opinion

    13 Oct 2014

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion