Maternal BMI and serum leptin concentration of infants in the first year of life.

AIM

To evaluate the relationship between serum leptin concentration in infants and infant and maternal BMI.

METHODS

75 healthy term infants aged 0-12 mo, 51 exclusively breastfed (BF) for at least 4 mo and 24 formula fed (FF), were included in a cross-sectional study. Weight, length and cranial circumference of infants and their mothers were measured, body mass index (BMI) was calculated using the formula weight (kg)/height (m2) and infant serum leptin concentration was determined.

RESULTS

A significant positive correlation between infant serum leptin concentration and maternal BMI was observed in BF infants (r = 0.389, p = 0.005), confirmed in a multiple regression model adjusted for infant age and infant BMI (beta = 0.065, p = 0.006), but not in FF infants. As regards the first 4 mo of life, we have already observed a positive correlation between infant serum leptin concentration and maternal BMI in BF infants (beta = 0.113, p = 0.005), but not in FF infants.

CONCLUSION

In BF infants, serum leptin concentration correlates positively with maternal BMI. Higher maternal BMI values might increase leptin levels in breast milk, and maternal adiposity could be involved in infant energy balance.