BENGALURU: Doctors at Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research conducted a study over six years, which found an alarming link between maternal diet and heart function in breastfeeding babies that are under six months. A total of 250 babies were admitted with pulmonary hypertension, and suffered from vomiting, gasping, irritability and could not digest breast milk. The study indicated that the reason for this is the mothers’ diet with white rice as the staple, and lacking in Vitamin B1 (thiamine).
“Traditionally, ‘bananthi pathya (diet for lactating mothers) prepared in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, comprises only polished white rice and watery dal/rasam, without vegetables. This is given to new mothers for two-three months, and lacks nutrition,” said Dr Usha M K Sastry, Department of Pediatric Cardiology at Jayadeva Hospital, who is one of the lead authors of the study.
Of the 250 babies that were admitted, 230 recovered when thiamine was administered, while the remaining did not survive. Many of the babies required ICU care, while some needed artificial respiratory support.
“Thiamine deficiency leads to pulmonary hypertension, where the right side of the heart gets enlarged. There is an increase in pressure in the right side of the heart and blood vessels of the lungs. This results in heart failure in babies,” said Dr Usha.
The study has been published in The Journal of Archives of Diseases in Childhood.A note by the institute said that while polished rice is aesthetically pleasing and easy to cook, it is stripped of the most nutritious outer layer, which is rich in Vitamin B1.Dr C N Manjunath, director of Jayadeva, said that new mothers should be provided with a diet rich in red rice, parboiled rice, ragi, millets, with plenty of milk and vegetables.