RESEARCH ARTICLE Changes in the biochemic d

Background in the modulation and development of the immune Fujimori et al. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (2015) 15:166 DOI 10.1186/s12884-015-0574-4the disease [14] and appears to play a central role in theBarra do Garças, MT, Brazil Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleBreastfeeding promotion is one of the main strategies for reducing child mortality worldwide [1]. Breast milk contains a balanced content of macro and micronutrients that are essential for infant growth and development, and several immunological components that provide protection to newborns [2–4]. Antibodies, complement proteins, hormones, immunocompetent cells [3, 5–9] cytokines [10–12] and other milk components appear to play a role system and inflammatory responses of newborns. In recent decades, due to changes in lifestyle the incidence of overweight and obesity are increasing among breast-feeding mothers. Obesity and overweight are common metabolic disorders and their growing frequencies worldwide are a major public health concern [13]. Obesity has been shown to increase the expression and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis alpha factor (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) and raises plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations, leading to the chronic low-grade inflammation that characterize