Hello, my name is Amanda Skinner and I am a junior nursing student at 
the University of North Dakota. I am currently taking a childbearing class 
and through it I have developed an interest in different topics in 
breastfeeding.  I am a huge advocate for breastfeeding because it has many 
benefits for baby, but I am wondering if breastfeeding can possibly prevent 
a baby from developing diabetes if they have a predisposition for the 
disease.
   According to Rodekamp et al. (2005), offspring of diabetic mothers are 
at an increased risk of being overweight and having an impaired glucose 
tolerance.  In their study, they concluded that breastfeeding a baby in the 
late neonatal period showed no significant influence on whether the baby 
would become overweight or develop diabetes.  
   Another study that was conducted weaned babies, with an increased risk 
of developing type 1 diabetes, to hydrolyzed formula.  The researchers 
wanted to study the effects of the intervention on the emergence of 
diabetes-associated antibodies in early childhood.  Their observations 
excluded the possibility that a delayed exposure to cow’s milk proteins, 
those that are found in formula, would increase the risk of autoantibody 
development.  In conclusion, they showed no evidence that breast milk 
prevents a child from getting type 1 diabetes.  In addition, they showed no 
evidence that formula fed babies will develop type 1 diabetes just because 
they were not breast fed (Akerblom et al, 2005).  
   Another study conducted by Sadauskaite-kuehne, Ludvigsson, Padaiga, 
Jasinskiene & Samuelsson (2004), found conflicting results.  In this study 
they described that early weaning and an early introduction of cow’s milk 
or a breast milk substitute has been shown to increase the risk of type 1 
diabetes of the baby later in life.  With their research they discovered 
that the longer the baby is breastfed the more the baby is protected 
against type 1 diabetes.
   Does breastfeeding protect a baby from getting diabetes if he or she has 
a predisposition for the disease?  If yes, then does a mother have to 
breastfeed for a longer length of time in order for her baby to get that 
protection?


Thank you,
     Amanda Skinner, SN
 







                               References
Akerblom, H.K., Virtanen, S.M., Ilonen, J., Savilahti, E., Vaarala, O., 
Reunanen, A.,   Teramo, K., Hamalainen, A.M. & Paronen, J.  (2005).  
Dietary manipulation of beta cell autoimmunity in infants at increased risk 
of type 1 diabetes: a pilot study.  Diabetologia 48, 829-837

Rodenkamp, E., Harder, T., Kohlhoff, R., Franke, K., Dudenhausen, J.W. & 
Plagemann, A.  (2005).  Long-term impact of breast-feeding on body weight 
and glucose tolerance in children with diabetic mothers.  Diabetes Care 28
(6), 1457-1462

Sadauskaite-Kuehne, V., Ludvigsson, J., Padaiga, Z., Jasinskiene, E. & 
Samuelsson, U.  (2004).  Longer breastfeeding is an independent protective 
factor against development of type 1 diabetes mellitus in childhood.  
Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews 20, 150-157

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html