High-sugar feeding and increasing cholesterol levels in infants

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 25, 2025

Palatable Western-style Cafeteria Diet as a Reliable Method for Modeling Diet-induced Obesity in Rodents
09:10

Palatable Western-style Cafeteria Diet as a Reliable Method for Modeling Diet-induced Obesity in Rodents

Published on: November 1, 2019

11.2K

Petra Zubin Maslov1, Joseph A Hill2, Thomas F Lüscher3,4

  • 1Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.

European Heart Journal
|December 16, 2020
PubMed

Insights

High simple sugar intake in infant formula may increase LDL cholesterol. Formula-fed infants show higher glucose, insulin, and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 levels, linking sugar to early childhood high cholesterol.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Hypercholesterolaemia is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
  • Cholesterol levels increase substantially from infancy to adulthood.
  • Low rates of exclusive breastfeeding and high consumption of simple carbohydrate-rich formulas are prevalent in the USA.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential link between simple sugar intake in infant formula and elevated LDL cholesterol in early childhood.
  • To explore the association between formula feeding, glucose/insulin spikes, and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) levels.

Main Methods:

  • Observational study comparing cholesterol levels in neonates, infants, and adults.
  • Analysis of infant feeding practices, specifically breastfeeding vs. formula consumption.
  • Measurement of fasting glucose, insulin, and PCSK9 levels in formula-fed infants.

Main Results:

  • Formula-fed infants exhibit higher levels of fasting glucose and insulin compared to breastfed infants.
  • Elevated proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) levels were observed in formula-fed infants.
  • These findings suggest a correlation between simple carbohydrate intake and increased LDL cholesterol in early life.

Conclusions:

  • High intake of simple sugars from infant formulas may contribute to increased LDL cholesterol in early childhood.
  • Formula feeding practices, characterized by simple carbohydrate-rich products, warrant further investigation regarding long-term cardiovascular health implications.
  • Early life nutrition significantly impacts cholesterol metabolism and cardiovascular risk factors.

Keywords:
CarbohydratesCardiovascular disease preventionLipid metabolismLow-density lipoproteinProprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Collecting the Brain and Serum from the Same Mice Fetus to Study Brain Tumor Development05:44

Author Spotlight: Collecting the Brain and Serum from the Same Mice Fetus to Study Brain Tumor Development

Published on: May 17, 2024

869
Optimized Analysis of In Vivo and In Vitro Hepatic Steatosis08:58

Optimized Analysis of In Vivo and In Vitro Hepatic Steatosis

Published on: March 11, 2017

16.5K

Related Concept Videos

Lipids: Dietary Sources and Requirements01:18

Lipids: Dietary Sources and Requirements

Lipids are an essential component of a balanced human diet. Triglycerides, which make up the majority of dietary lipids, are found in both saturated fats—commonly present in meat, dairy products, and certain tropical plants like coconut, and hydrogenated oils such as margarine and baking shortenings (trans fats)—and unsaturated fats, which are abundant in seeds, nuts, olive oil, and most vegetable oils. The main sources of cholesterol include egg yolks, various meats and organ...
1.5K
Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation01:29

Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation

Although not a source of energy, cholesterol plays a significant role as a foundational structure for bile salts, steroid hormones, and vitamin D, as well as being a crucial component of plasma membranes. Approximately 15% of blood cholesterol is derived from our diet, with the remainder synthesized from acetyl CoA by the liver and intestines. Cholesterol is eliminated from the body through its conversion into bile salts, which are eventually discarded in the feces.
Considering cholesterol and...
1.0K
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses...
90
Glucose Transporters01:27

Glucose Transporters

Glucose transporters facilitate the transport of glucose across the cell membrane. In addition to glucose, some glucose transporters can also aid the movement of other hexoses such as fructose, mannose, and galactose.
Facilitated diffusion-glucose transporters (GLUTs) are encoded by the solute-linked carrier (SLC) family 2, subfamily A gene family, or SLC2A. The 14 GLUT protein members are distributed into three classes:
26.7K
Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism01:19

Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism

Carbohydrate metabolism is a fundamental biochemical process that ensures a constant supply of energy to living cells. The most important carbohydrate is glucose, which can be broken down via glycolysis to enter into the Krebs cycle and eventually lead to the production of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.
Glucose transport into cells is facilitated by a family of transport proteins called GLUT (Glucose Transporters). GLUT4 is the primary glucose transporter for insulin-stimulated glucose...
2.7K
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
110