Breast-fed infants have higher leptin values than formula-fed infants in the first four months of life.
BACKGROUND
Leptin is a hormone present in breast milk, which regulates food intake and energy metabolism.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether leptin levels are different in breast-fed (BF) or formula-fed (FF) infants in the first months of life.


METHODS
We evaluated serum leptin by radio-immunoassay and anthropometric parameters in 51 infants at the average age of 62.8+/-30 days, 25 exclusively BF and 26 exclusively FF.


RESULTS
Leptin serum values were higher in BF (7.1+/-10.4 ng/ml) than in FF (3.7+/-3.87 ng/ml) infants (p <0.05). Leptin values were higher in females (6.9+/-9.87 ng/ml) than in males (3.5+/-3.88 ng/ml) (p <0.05). No differences were found in anthropometric measurements and body mass index.


CONCLUSIONS
The kind of feeding might be a factor affecting serum leptin concentration in term infants. The long-term consequences of this difference between BF and FF infants and leptin's role in promoting obesity later in life are unknown.
Savino
F
F
Dipartimento di Scienze Pediatriche e dell'Adolescenza, Ospedale Infantile Regina Margherita, Università di Torino, Italy. francesco.savino@unito.it
Nanni
G E
GE
Maccario
S
S
Costamagna
M
M
Oggero
R
R
Silvestro
L
L
D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D020738:Leptin