Association between umbilical cord leptin and weight gain according to feeding type in the early postnatal period, a brief report

• Published in: Revista de investigacion clinica Vol. 64; no. 6 Pt 2; pp. 615 - 619
• Main Authors: Treviño-Garza, Consuelo, Mancillas-Adame, Leonardo, Villarreal-Pérez, Jesús Z, De la O-Cavazos, Manuel E, Estrada-Zúñiga, Cynthia M, Bosques-Padilla, Francisco J, Argente, Jesús
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Mexico 01.11.2012
• Subjects: Breast Feeding; Disease Susceptibility; Female; Fetal Blood - chemistry; Humans; Hypothalamus - physiology; Infant Food; Infant, Newborn; Leptin - blood; Leptin - physiology; Male; Milk, Human - chemistry; Models, Biological; Obesity - physiopathology; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Prospective Studies; Socioeconomic Factors; Weight Gain
• ISSN: 0034-8376

Weight gain in infancy depends on in utero nutritional status, with postnatal growth also dependent on feeding practices, culture, food accessibility and parents' education. To evaluate the relationship between umbilical cord blood leptin levels and feeding mode (breast-fed vs. formula) on weight gain at three months of life. Ninety-nine full-term newborns (male, n = 48; female, n = 51) were included in two groups according to feeding type: breast-fed (n = 49) and formula-fed (n = 50). Leptin was measured in blood obtained from the umbilical cord vein. Umbilical cord leptin levels and weight gain at three months had a significant inverse correlation in formula-fed infants (r = -0.294, P = 0.038). This finding was not reflected in breast-fed infants (r = -0.212, P = 0.144). In our Mexican breastfeeding cohort, umbilical cord leptin levels were a significant predictor of weight gain in formula-fed infants.