In a way this is disturbingbecause there is a discernable difference that we do not clearly understand atall. Considering now blithely we havebeen expected to accept formula as if it is an exact equivalent, we suddenlymust think again.
The take home is that earlyfeeding and mother’s health determines part of a child’s metabolic makeup andwe do not really know here for how long. So far it appears to be fairlyshort term but we simply do not know and this is obviously the first timesomeone asked the right questions.
Once again mothers, do breastfeed and do drink plenty of cow’s milk yourself to support it. There is arson traditional lifeways werebuilt around all this.
Early nutrition has a long-term metabolic impact
by Staff Writers
As early as 15 days of life, blood insulin levels were lower inbreastfed infants than in formula-fed infants. These differences persisted at 4months of age, but no differences were seen at 9 months.
Nutrition during the first days or weeks of life may have long-termconsequences on health, potentially via a phenomenon known as the metabolicprogramming effect, according to a study to be presented at the PediatricAcademic Societies (PAS) annualmeeting inDenver.
Metabolic programming is the concept that differences innutritional experiencesat critical periods early in life can program a person's metabolism and healthfor the future.
In this study, researchers compared growth, body composition and bloodpressure inthree groups of healthy, full-term newborns in the Neonatal Department ofHospices Civils de Lyon, Claude Bernard University ,Lyon , France
The two other groups were randomized to receive either a low-proteinformula with 1.8 grams of protein/100 kilocalories (g/kcal) or a high-proteinformula with 2.7 g/100 kcal. The protein content of both formulas was withinthe recommended levels of 1.8 to 3 g/100 kcal.
After four months, the formula-fed infants continued to receive thesame formula, and the breastfed infants were assigned to the low-proteinformula, if needed.
Researchers, who followed 234 children for three years, found thatexclusive breastfeeding during the first weeks of life induced a specificpattern of growth and a specific metabolic profile, which appeared to differ informula-fed infants. The protein content in infant formula may be a key factorin inducing these differences, according to study co-author Guy Putet, MD.
As early as 15 days of life, blood insulin levels were lower inbreastfed infants than in formula-fed infants. These differences persisted at 4months of age, but no differences were seen at 9 months.
Growth patterns also were different between groups during the firstyear of life, but by 3 years of age, there no longer was any difference inlength, weight or body composition (fat mass, lean body mass) between groups.The exception was head circumference,which was slightly lower in the low-protein formula group but still well withinthe normal range.
At 3 years, an unexpected result was that diastolic and mean bloodpressures werehigher in the infants who had been fed the high-protein formula compared to thebreastfed infants, Dr. Putet noted. However, these levels were still within thenormal range.
"It appears that formula feeding induces differences in somehormonal profiles as well as in patterns of growth compared withbreastfeeding," Dr. Putet said.
"The long-term consequences of such changes are notwell-understood in humans and may play a role in later health. Well-designedstudies with long-term follow-up are needed."
If breastfeeding is not possible, Dr. Putet concluded, infants shouldbe fed formulas that allow a growth pattern and a metabolic profile similar tothat of breastfed infants.
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