Lipid profile of term infants on exclusive breastfeeding and mixed feeding: a comparative study.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the lipid profiles of exclusively breastfed and mixed-fed term healthy infants in the first 6 months of life.


METHODS
Prospective comparative study.


METHODS
Study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital.


METHODS
Four hundred consecutive term healthy infants, 200 on exclusive breastfeeding (group 1) and 200 receiving mixed feeding (group 2) were recruited at 14 weeks of age. At 6 months, 149 and 150 mother-infant pairs were followed up in groups 1 and 2, respectively.


METHODS
Anthropometric measures of the mother and baby were recorded. Serum lipid levels of the mother and babies were determined at 14 weeks. Babies were followed up till 6 months and their lipid levels were determined again at 6 months. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS.


RESULTS
Two groups were comparable in birth weight and maternal characteristics (P>0.05). Weight and head circumference were significantly more in the breastfed group at 14 weeks as well as at 6 months (P<0.001). Mean total cholesterol (TC) was 205.27+/-47.31 and 176.55+/-32.01 mg/dl in groups 1 and 2, respectively at 14 weeks (CI=20.77-36.66, P<0.001). At 6 months TC was 192.79+/-40.52 and 161.05+/-22.53 mg/dl in the two groups (CI=24.26-39.22, P<0.001). Change in total cholesterol from 14 weeks to 6 months was also significant in both groups (P<0.001). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides were significantly higher in the breastfed groups at 14 weeks and 6 months. The high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)/LDL-C significantly improved at 6 months in exclusively breastfed group (P=0.045). A positive correlation was found only at 14 weeks between mother's TC and baby's TC (r=0.332), mother's LDL-C with baby's LDL-C (r=0.223) in mixed fed group.


CONCLUSIONS
Breastfed babies have significantly higher TC and LDL-C compared to mixed fed babies in the first 6 months of life with improving HDL-C/LDL-C ratio at 6 months.


BACKGROUND
None.
Harit
D
D
Department of Pediatrics and Biochemistry, University College of Medical Sciences, and Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital, Delhi, India.
Faridi
M M A
MM
Aggarwal
A
A
Sharma
S B
SB
D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D041943:Infant Formula; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood* / Q000254:growth & development; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol