APPETITE CONTROL IN BREASTFED AND FORMULA FED INFANTS

APPETITE CONTROL IN BREASTFED AND FORMULA FED INFANTS

D. Gruszfeld

; R. Janas

; J. Socha

; B. Koletzko

, I. Broekaert

; D.

Brasseur

; A. Sengier

; M. Giovannini

, C. Agostoni

; R. Closa Monasterolo

, V. Luque

, EU Childhood Obesity Study Team

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Children’s Memorial Health Institute, Warszawa, Poland;

Children's University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany;

Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola, Unité de Nutrition, Bruxelles, Belgium;

Pediatric Department, Ospedale San Paolo, Milano, Italy;

Pediatric Unit, University Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain

Introduction: Dysregulation of appetite control is suggested as a potential mechanism responsible for the higher risk of obesity in formula fed infants.

Leptin seems to play a major role in appetite control and thus it may influence growth and weight gain. Adiponectin has some protective activity against weight gain and hyperglycemia.

Aim: To compare hormonal indicators of appetite control in breastfed and formula fed infants.

Methods: Preliminary laboratory findings from the EU Childhood Obesity Programme were analyzed to compare indicators of hormonal appetite control between the infants that were breastfed (N=87) and all pooled together infants that received formula feeding (N=158) at the age of 6 months. Infants from 4 t countries participated in the study: Germany, Spain, Poland and Belgium.

Breastfeeding lasted at least 3 months before blood sampling. We determined serum concentrations of leptin and leptin receptor as well as adiponectin.

Results: Leptin concentration increased in formula fed infants when compared to breastfed infants (10.3 ±6.7 ng/ml vs. 7,4±4,4 ng/ml; P<0,001) but leptin receptor concentration decreased (41,3 ±10,3 ng/ml vs. 47,1±11,8 ng/ml;

P<0,001). Concentrations of adiponectin did not differ between groups (21,0 ±6,3 ng/ml in formula-fed vs. 21,6±5,7 ng/ml in breastfed infants).

Conclusions: Appetite control in infants seems to be influenced by formula feeding in comparison with breastfeeding as expressed by higher concentrations of leptin. To determine whether increased leptin concentration in formula fed

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infants is only a secondary finding to higher body mass or direct consequence of feeding type needs further investigation.

Acknowledgments: financial support of the EC, under the 5th Framework Programme, contract number QLK1-CT2002-389.

Key words: appetite; leptin; leptin receptor; adiponectin; childhood obesity