RELATIONSHIP OF BREAST MILK LEPTIN WITH MATERNAL AND INFANT ADIPOSITY

Abstract<br />INTRODUCTION: Leptin, the product of the obese gene (ob), is synthesized by adipose<br />tissue and contributes to the regulation of energy homeostasis and food intake. Recently,<br />immunoreactive leptin was reported to be present in human milk. The aim of this study<br />was to determine any possible link between breast milk leptin concentrations and<br />adiposity in exclusively breast-fed infants.<br />METHODS: 130 healthy, exclusively breast-fed infants beyond neonatal period and<br />their mothers were included in the study. Infants whose weight for age was above the<br />75th, and between 25th and 75th percentiles were defined as obese (n=65) and non-obese<br />(n=65), respectively. Anthropometric measur ements of infants and mothers were also<br />made and breast milk samples were analyzed for leptin.<br />RESULTS: There was no significant difference between breast milk leptin<br />concentrations of mothers of obese and non-obese infants. Breast milk leptin<br />concentrations significantly correlated with mothers' body mass index (r=0.54, P&lt;0.001)<br />and weight (r=0.46, P&lt;0.001). There was no significant correlation between breast milk<br />leptin concentrations and weight of infants.<br />CONCLUSIONS: Leptin concentrations of human milk are not different in the mothers of<br />obese and non-obese infants. Our findings suggest that milk-borne leptin has no<br />significant effect on adiposity during infancy.<br />Key Words: Breast milk, leptin, infant, adiposity