Hunger behaviour contributes to early nutritional homeostasis.
OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to describe nutritional homeostasis in healthy exclusively breastfed infants (n = 175) during their first 5 d, by cross-sectional measurements of body weight, blood glucose, plasma insulin, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), insulin-like growth factor binding-protein-1 (IGFBP-1), free fatty acids (FFA), glycerol, ketone (3-OH-butyric acid) and lactate. We also investigated whether nutrition affected feeding behaviour by timing the interval between feedings.


RESULTS
A progressive loss of body weight, as percentage of birthweight, occurred up to 2 d of age, with a maximal decrease of 5.8 +/- 2.1% (mean +/- SD); this was accompanied by inhibition of anabolic hormone and metabolic pathways and an increased mobilization of stored fat and ketogenesis. The interval between feedings decreased between d 1 and 2. Weight gain occurred at 3 d and the following re-feeding phase returned fuel stores to their previous levels and established an anabolic hormonal and metabolic situation. Infants with weight loss exceeding 10% had a further accentuation in their peripheral picture of starvation and a further 7% shortening of the interval between feedings.


CONCLUSIONS
breastfeeding on demand is accompanied by a balanced nutritional situation and an increased drive to eat when weight reduction is <6%. However, a weight loss of > or = 10%, probably elicits hunger sensations in response to decreased fuel availability.
Department of Woman and Child Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
G
G
Marchini
B
B
Persson
V
V
Berggren
L
L
Hagenäs
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001481:Basal Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005990:Glycerol / Q000097:blood; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D007657:Ketone Bodies / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology
D001786:Blood Glucose; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D007657:Ketone Bodies; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D005990:Glycerol