How a mother's blood sugar affects breast milk and her baby's weight and body fat
The GROWTH Study, Glycemia Range and Offspring Weight and adiposity in response To Human milk
This project follows pregnant people with different blood sugar levels to link pregnancy glucose, breast milk nutrients, and infant growth up to age two.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11258519 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join during pregnancy, the team will track your blood sugar levels and collect breast milk after delivery. They will run detailed lab profiles on milk nutrients, with a focus on fatty acids that change with diabetes and obesity. Your baby will have regular visits to measure weight, BMI percentiles, and body composition through age two. The researchers will connect pregnancy glucose, milk composition, and infant growth to identify patterns that could guide ways to lower childhood obesity risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant people across the range of blood sugar who plan to breastfeed and can bring their infants for follow-up visits through age two are the best candidates.
Not a fit: Those who do not plan to breastfeed or whose infants have preexisting metabolic or growth conditions may not receive direct benefits from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal modifiable links between maternal blood sugar, milk makeup, and infant growth that help reduce childhood obesity risk.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies found altered breast milk fatty acids in mothers with diabetes or obesity and links to infant growth, but this project expands those findings by looking across the full range of pregnancy glycemia and detailed in‑utero exposures.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Josefson, Jami L — Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Josefson, Jami L
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.