Breast milk leptin: its relationship to maternal and infant adiposity
Uysal, F.K.; Onal, E.E.; Aral, Y.Z.; Adam, B.; Dilmen, U.; Ardiçolu, Y.
Clinical Nutrition 21(2): 157-160
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0261-5614 PMID: 12056789 DOI: 10.1054/clnu.2001.0525Document Number: 245184
Background and Aims: Leptin, the product of the obese gene (ob), is synthesized by adipose tissue and contributes to the regulation of energy homeostasis and food intake. Recently, immunoreactive leptin was reported to be present in human milk. The objective was to determine if there was a relation between breast milk leptin concentrations and adiposity in exclusively breast-fed infants. Methods: Fifty healthy, exclusively breast-fed infants beyond neonatal period at the Department of Pediatrics of Faith University Medical School in Ankara, Turkey, and their mothers were included into the study. Infants whose weight-for-length was above the 90th percentile were defined as obese (n=17), and nonobese if the weight for length between 20-90th percentile (n=33). Anthropometric measurements of infants and mothers were also made and breast milk samples were analysed for leptin. Results: There was no significant difference between breast milk leptin concentrations of obese and nonobese infants' mothers. Breast milk leptin concentrations were significantly correlated with mothers' body mass index when all subjects were analysed. There was no significant correlation between breast milk leptin concentrations and body mass index of infants. Conclusion: Leptin concentrations of human milk are not different in the mothers of obese and nonobese infants. These findings suggests that milk-borne leptin has no significant effect on adiposity during infancy.