Primal Health Databank: Study
| Entry No: | 0316 |
| Title: | Early nutrition in preterm infants and later blood pressure: two cohorts after randomised trials |
| Author(s): | Atul Singhal, Tim J Cole, Alan Lucas |
| Reference: | Lancet 2001; 357: 413-19 |
| Place of Study: | UK |
| Abstract: | Despite data relating body size in early life to later cardiovascular outcomes, the hypothesis that nutrition affects such outcomes has not been established. Breastfeeding has been associated with lower blood pressure in later life, but previous studies have not controlled for possible confounding factors by using a randomised design with prospective follow-up. The authors tested the hypothesis that early diet programmes blood pressure in later life in children randomly assigned different diets at birth.
Blood pressure was measured at age 13-16 years in 216 (23%) of a cohort of 926 children who were born prematurely . Dietary interventions were: donated banked breastmilk versus preterm formula and standard term formula versus preterm formula.
Children followed up at age 13-16 years were similar to those not followed up in terms of social class and anthropometry at birth. Mean arterial blood pressure at age 13-16 years was lower in the 66 children assigned banked breastmilk (alone or in addition to mother's milk) than in the 64 assigned preterm formula (mean 81·9 [SD 7·8] vs 86·1 [6·5] mm Hg; 95% CI for difference -6·6 to -1·6; p=0·001). In non-randomised analyses, the proportion of enteral intake as human milk in the neonatal period was inversely related to later mean arterial pressure (ß=-0·3 mm Hg per 10% increase [95% CI -0·5 to -0·1]; p=0·006). No differences were found in the term formula (n=44) versus preterm formula (n=42) comparison.
The authors conclude that breastmilk consumption was associated with lower later blood pressure in children born prematurely. These data provide experimental evidence of programming of a cardiovascular risk factor by early diet and further support the long-term beneficial effects of breastmilk.
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| Keyword(s): | Blood pressure, bottle feeding, breastfeeding, prematurity |
| Discussion: | No discussion mentioned for this entry |
| See Also: | No related entries mentioned for this entry |
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