Nutritional compositions with large lipid globule size

Abstract

The present invention relates to a nutritional composition for infants and/or toddlers comprising a lipid component which has a large lipid globule size. The composition can be used to increase bone mineral content and/or bone mass density.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method of increasing bone mass density and/or increasing bone mineral content, comprising administering to a human subject at risk of developing osteoporosis or in need of enhancement of bone formation and/or bone mass maximization, a composition comprising 10 to 50 wt. % vegetable lipids, based on dry weight of the composition, wherein the vegetable lipids are comprised in lipid globules having:
 i) a volume-weighted mode diameter above 1.0 μm, and/or   ii) a diameter of 2 to 12 μm in an amount of at least 45 volume % based on total lipid, wherein the increasing bone mass density and/or increasing bone mineral content occurs later in life.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the lipid globules have:
 i) a volume-weighted mode diameter of 1.0-10 μm, and/or   ii) a diameter of 2 to 12 μm in an amount of at least 55 volume % based on total lipid.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the administration is to a human subject between 0 and 36 months of age. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the increasing bone mass density and/or increasing bone mineral content occurs in a human subject of 36 months of age or older. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the increasing bone mass density and/or increasing bone mineral content occurs in a human subject above 5 years of age. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the composition comprises 0.5-10 wt. % phospholipids, based on total lipid. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the phospholipids are derived from milk lipids. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the composition comprises glycosphingolipids, cholesterol, or both. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the composition comprises 0.6 to 12 wt. % polar lipids based on total lipid, wherein the polar lipids are the sum of phospholipids, glycosphingolipids and cholesterol. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the composition comprises glycosphingolipids. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the composition comprises gangliosides. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the composition comprises sphingomyelin. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the lipid globules have a volume-weighted mode diameter of 4.0 μm or above. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein at least 75 volume % of the lipid globules have a diameter between 4 to 10 μm, based on total lipid. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the lipid globules have a diameter of 2 to 12 μm in an amount of at least 75 volume % based on total lipid. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein at least 75 volume % of the lipid globules have a diameter between 4 to 10 μm, based on total lipid. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the composition has a fatty acid profile with a linoleic acid to alpha-linolenic acid weight ratio between 4 and 7. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the lipids comprise at least 16 wt. % palmitic acid based on total fatty acids. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein over 75 wt. % of the palmitic acid is in the sn-1 or sn-3 position. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one lipid selected from the group consisting of fish oil, marine oil, algal oil, fungal oil and microbial oil. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the composition further comprises non-digestible oligosaccharides. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the composition is a powder suitable for making a liquid composition after reconstitution with an aqueous solution. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 41 , wherein the aqueous solution is water. 
     
     
         43 . A method of treating osteoporosis and/or ostopenia, comprising administering to a human subject at risk of developing osteoporosis and/or ostopenia a composition comprising 10 to 50 wt. % vegetable lipids, based on dry weight of the composition, wherein the vegetable lipids are comprised in lipid globules having:
 i) a volume-weighted mode diameter above 1.0 μm, and/or   ii) a diameter of 2 to 12 μm in an amount of at least 45 volume % based on total lipid.   
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 43 , wherein the lipid globules have:
 i) a volume-weighted mode diameter of 1.0-10 μam, and/or   ii) a diameter of 2 to 12 μm in an amount of at least 55 volume % based on total lipid.   
     
     
         45 . A method of treating obesity, comprising administering to a human subject at risk of developing obesity a composition comprising 10 to 50 wt. % vegetable lipids, based on dry weight of the composition, wherein the vegetable lipids are comprised in lipid globules having:
 i) a volume-weighted mode diameter above 1.0 μm, and/or   ii) a diameter of 2 to 12 μm in an amount of at least 45 volume % based on total lipid.   
     
     
         46 . A nutritional composition comprising 10 to 50 wt. % vegetable lipids based on dry weight of the composition and 0.6 to 12 wt. % polar lipids based on total lipid weight, wherein the polar lipids are phospholipids, glycosphingolipids and cholesterol, and wherein the vegetable lipids are comprised in lipid globules having:
 i) a volume-weighted mode diameter above 1.0 μm, and/or   ii) a diameter of 2 to 12 μm in an amount of at least 45 volume % based on total lipid.