LLLI Center for Breastfeeding Information

Journal Abstract of the Month for April 2001

Lancet 2001;357:413-19.

Title: "Early nutrition in preterm infants and later blood pressure: two cohorts after randomised trials"

Author: by Atul Singhal, Tim J Cole and Alan Lucas

In this study, 926 preterm babies were followed to test the hypothesis that early diet programs blood pressure in later life, depending on the diet. The babies were divided into two groups: banked human milk/nutrient-enriched preterm formula or standard term formula/nutrient-enriched preterm formula. At ages 13-16 years, this same population of children were examined for their blood pressure levels. No difference was found between the term formula versus the preterm formula, however both mean and diastolic blood pressure were significantly lower for both boys and girls assigned banked breast milk and/or mothers' milk. "Our data provide experimental evidence of programming of a cardiovascular risk factor by early diet and further support the long-term beneficial effects of breast milk."

Keywords: Prematures, Arteriosclerosis, Long-term benefits, Formula Concerns, Human Milk: Storage/Processing, Milk Banks, Growth, Comparisons, Ins/HMOs, Epidemiology.