RELATIONSHIP OF BREAST MILK LEPTIN WITH MATERNAL AND INFANT ADIPOSITY

AbstractINTRODUCTION: Leptin, the product of the obese gene (ob), is synthesized by adiposetissue and contributes to the regulation of energy homeostasis and food intake. Recently,immunoreactive leptin was reported to be present in human milk. The aim of this studywas to determine any possible link between breast milk leptin concentrations andadiposity in exclusively breast-fed infants.METHODS: ۱۳۰ healthy, exclusively breast-fed infants beyond neonatal period andtheir mothers were included in the study. Infants whose weight for age was above the۷۵th, and between ۲۵th and ۷۵th percentiles were defined as obese (n=۶۵) and non-obese(n=۶۵), respectively. Anthropometric measur ements of infants and mothers were alsomade and breast milk samples were analyzed for leptin.RESULTS: There was no significant difference between breast milk leptinconcentrations of mothers of obese and non-obese infants. Breast milk leptinconcentrations significantly correlated with mothers' body mass index (r=۰.۵۴, P<۰.۰۰۱)and weight (r=۰.۴۶, P<۰.۰۰۱). There was no significant correlation between breast milkleptin concentrations and weight of infants.CONCLUSIONS: Leptin concentrations of human milk are not different in the mothers ofobese and non-obese infants. Our findings suggest that milk-borne leptin has nosignificant effect on adiposity during infancy.Key Words: Breast milk, leptin, infant, adiposity.