title: Effect of reducing the n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio on the maternal and fetal leptin axis in relation to infant body composition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of reducing the n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio in maternal nutrition on the maternal and cord blood leptin axis and their association with infant body composition up to 2 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  208 healthy pregnant women were randomized to either a dietary intervention to reduce the n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio from 15th week of gestation until 4 months postpartum or a control group. Leptin, soluble leptin receptor and free leptin index were determined in maternal and cord plasma and related to infant body composition assessed by skinfold thicknesses up to 2 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intervention had no effect on either the maternal or fetal leptin axis. Maternal leptin in late pregnancy was inversely related to infant weight and lean body mass (LBM) up to 2 years, after multiple adjustments. Cord leptin was positively related to weight, body fat, and LBM at birth, and inversely associated with weight, BMI, fat mass, and LBM at 2 years and weight gain up to 2 years. The contribution of cord leptin to infant outcomes was overall stronger compared with maternal leptin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both, maternal and fetal leptin were associated with subsequent infant anthropometry with a greater impact of fetal leptin.
authors.affiliation: Else Kröner-Fresenius-Center for Nutritional Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hüttinger
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Much
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brüderl
authors.forename: Eva-Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Sedlmeier
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kratzsch
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Amann-Gassnerl
authors.forename: Bernhard L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Bader
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hauner
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005333:Fetus / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007774:Lactation; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D016014:Linear Models; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011247:Pregnancy; D054411:Receptors, Leptin / Q000097:blood; D012885:Skinfold Thickness
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D020738:Leptin; D054411:Receptors, Leptin