Cortisol in human milk predicts child BMI.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Breastfeeding has been linked to lower rates of childhood obesity. Human milk contains cortisol, known to regulate glucose storage and metabolism. The aim of this study was to to test the hypothesis that early exposure to cortisol in human breast milk helps to modulate infant body mass index (BMI) trajectories over the first 2 years of life.

Methods

Growth curve modeling was used to examine whether infant exposure to cortisol in human milk at 3 months predicted changes in child body mass index percentile (BMIP) at 6, 12, and 24 months of age in 51 breastfeeding mother-child pairs.

Results

Infants exposed to higher milk cortisol levels at 3 months were less likely to exhibit BMIP gains over the first 2 years of life, compared with infants exposed to lower mil

SUBMITTER: Hahn-Holbrook J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5400496 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature