Infant-feeding patterns are related to blood cholesterol concentration in prepubertal children aged 5-11y:: The Fleurbaix-Laventie Ville Sante study

Objective: Several studies, mainly in animals, but also in humans, have shown that diet in infancy is associated with differences in blood cholesterol concentrations later in life. The objective was to examine this relationship in children aged 5-11y after taking into account their current diet and parental hypercholesterolemia. Setting and subjects: 251 prepubertal boys and 223 prepubertal girls enrolled in the schools in two little towns in northern France. Design and methods: Cross-sectional evaluation including measurements of cholesterol concentrations on capillary blood and a single weekday food intake record. Infant feeding patterns were obtained by questionnaire given to thr mothers Results: 50% of the children had bren breast-fed for a median duration of less than 2 months. Cow's milk was introduced in the diet as whole milk for 33% of the children. After adjustment for age, height, and sibship, capillary cholesterol concentration was lower in boys who had been breast fed (geometric mean: 4.4, 95% confidence interval of the mean: 4.2-4.6 mmol/L) than in those fed with formula (4.7, 4.5-4.8 mmol/L. P < 0.03). In girls, breast/feeding had no significant effect on blood cholesterol concentration, which was associated with the type of cow's milk given in infancy. whole milk: 4.9 mmol/L (4.7 - 5.2); totally or partially skimmed milk: 4.5 mmol/L (4.2-4.6). P < 0.008. The current saturated fat and cholesterol intakes and parental hypercyholesterolemia were associated with current blood cholesterol concentration in children, but did not modify its relationship with infant feeding patterns. Conclusion: Results of the present study suggest that diet in infancy may have longstanding effect on lipid metabolism.