Fat composition of the infant diet does not influence subsequent serum lipid levels in man.

The serum lipid concentrations have been followed until 5 years of age in children fed for between 1 and 6 months with breast milk (n = 35), a home-prepared cow's milk formula (n = 17) or proprietary formula with a low content of cholesterol and high content of linoleic acid (n = 32). The serum cholesterol concentrations were significantly lower in the proprietary formula-fed infants than in the infants fed with breast milk or cow's milk formula between 2 and 6 months of age, i.e. during the period of formula feeding. No differences were observed between the 3 groups in serum lipid values after 9 months of age. A statistically significant correlation was observed between cholesterol concentrations recorded before 6 months and after 3 years of age in children fed initially with the proprietary low-cholesterol formula, but not in the two other groups. It is concluded that the fat composition of the infant diet commonly used in the developed countries affects the contemporary serum cholesterol concentration, but does not influence the serum lipid or lipoprotein levels later in life.