Breast Milk and Metabolic Programming: Short-Term and Long-Term Health Benefits

Abstract

Nutrition plays a major role in the development of health and disease later in adulthood. Breastfeeding is considered a cornerstone of healthy infant nutrition. It provides energy and nutrients that will help preventing both undernutrition, overweight and obesity. The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) theory suggests that breast milk may play a role in modulating epigenetic factors such as DNA methylation from early stages of the life cycle. Exclusively breastfeeding infants presented lower blood pressure and serum cholesterol in adult life and lower risk of obesity and metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, hypertension or cardiovascular disease. It is believed that these effects are associated with the nutritional differences between breast milk and infant formula, such as lower protein content and the presence of bioactive components in breast milk. Epigenetic mechanisms may be the cause for the so claimed protective effect of breast milk in relation to the development of many diseases.