The Effect of Certain Hormones in Breast Milk from Mothers with Different Body Weights on the Physical Development of Offspring at an Early Age

Background. Childhood obesity has become one of the most serious health problems of the 21st century, affecting both developed and developing countries. The widespread prevalence of obesity underscores the importance of studying its causes and pathogenesis mechanisms, which will allow for a better understanding of the main directions of treatment and prevention of this condition, which should be implemented in various spheres of society: at home, in educational and medical institutions, and at the national level. The aim of the study is to study the possible effect of certain breast milk (BM) hormones (leptin, ghrelin, adiponectin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)) in overweight and obese mothers on the physical development of offspring at an early age. Methods. A prospective study examined two groups of infants who were breastfed during the first year of life. The first group included 48 children born of overweight and obese mothers with a median maternal body mass index (BMI) of 32.75 [min 26.1; max 43.03] kg/m2. The control group included 35 children born of mothers with normal body weight (median BMI was 21.1 [min 17.9 max 24.7] kg/m2). Results. The effect of overweight and obesity in the mother during pregnancy on the physical development of the child begins to manifest itself after birth from the age of 9 months, primarily through accelerated growth in body length, and by the age of 2-3 — overweight. BM showed a negative correlation of BMI with IGF-1 (r = –0.455, p = 0.021) and a positive correlation between BMI and adiponectin. (r = 0,45, p = 0,042). The threshold values of BM hormones were found, which are statistically significantly more often recorded in overweight and obese mothers: IGF-1 < 12.0 PG/mL (p = 0.0027), adiponectin ≥ 0.5 Mcg/mL (p = 0.020), ghrelin < 0.6 PG/mL (p = 0.006). There was a significant increase in the body length of infants aged 6 months when they consumed BM with IGF-1 levels < 12 PG/mL and significantly higher body weight at the ages of 2 and 3 years. In the group of children who consumed BM with ghrelin content < 0.6 PG/mL, a significantly higher body weight was found at the age of 3 years compared with children who consumed BM with a higher level of the hormone. Conclusion. IGF-1 levels in BM < 12 PG/mL and ghrelin < 0.6 PG/mL can serve as biomarkers of accelerated physical development of children from overweight and obese mothers. The effect of certain hormones in breast milk from mothers on the physical development of young children is an ambiguous problem that requires further study.

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