Sorry if this has been forwarded already, my computer was down for a few
days.
Janice Reynolds



Protein in Human Milk Linked to Reduced Risk of Obesity


http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/about/news/release/2004/5-obesity-study.h
tm

Here is a short French version of the above article on obesity and
breastfeeding

 http://www.radiocanada.ca/url.asp?/nouvelles/sante.shtml


2004 Pediatric Health News Releases

May 2, 2004 - Study Detects Protein in Human Milk Linked to Reduced Risk of
Obesity

SAN FRANCISCO -- Researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical
Center have conducted the first study to detect the presence of a protein in
human milk that may explain the association between breastfeeding and
reduced risk of obesity later in life.

The protein is adiponectin, which is secreted by fat cells and affects how
the body processes sugars and lipids -- fatty substances in the blood. It's
been suggested that adiponectin is involved in the metabolic syndrome, which
includes insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes and coronary artery
disease and occurs in 20-25 percent of adults. Higher levels of adiponectin
have been associated with less disease.

If adiponectin is present in human milk, the Cincinnati Children's
researchers theorized, the protein could have an influence over the
metabolic "programming" of infants. That is, it could affect adiposity, or
"fatness," later in life.

The Cincinnati Children's researchers analyzed samples of human milk
collected from anonymous donor mothers as part of the Research Human Milk
Bank at Cincinnati Children's and found levels of adiponectin that were
"quite high -- higher than many proteins found in human milk," says Lisa
Martin, PhD, the study's lead author.

"This study is an important first step in developing molecular research
focused on understanding the relationship between human milk constituents
and later metabolism. Exposures early in life, during the period of extreme
growth and development, may have an impact on adult disease."

The researchers also confirmed the presence of leptin in human milk. Leptin
is another protein produced by fat that appears to play an important role in
the regulation of body fat.  Leptin is a satiety hormone, involved in the
state of being "full."

Adiponectin levels, however, are substantially greater than leptin in human
milk, according to Dr. Martin, a researcher in the Center for Epidemiology
and Biostatistics at Cincinnati Children's and in the Division of Human
Genetics. "Whether the greater quantity of adiponectin has biological
significance remains to be seen," she says.

The study will be presented May 2 at the annual meeting of the Pediatric
Academic Societies in San Francisco.

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