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Food intake patterns of infants with high serum cholesterol level at six months
Insights
High cholesterol in infants is linked to early introduction of solid foods and higher milk intake. This condition can persist, necessitating further research into infant nutrition and health.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Cardiovascular Health in Infancy
- Biochemical Markers of Health
Background:
- Hypercholesterolemia in infancy is a concern due to its long-term health implications.
- Early identification of risk factors for elevated serum cholesterol is crucial for preventative strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between dietary patterns in the first six months of life and serum cholesterol levels in healthy infants.
- To identify specific nutritional and feeding practices linked to hypercholesterolemia in early childhood.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 556 healthy infants, comparing a high cholesterol group (n=35) with a matched control group.
- Analysis of 24-hour dietary recalls, dietary habits, and biochemical markers (serum lipids, vitamins).
- Assessment of infant feeding practices, including age of solid food introduction and milk consumption.
Main Results:
- 6.4% of infants had serum cholesterol above 200 mg/100 ml at six months.
- Infants with high cholesterol showed earlier introduction of solid foods (46% by week 2) and higher daily milk intake.
- Elevated serum levels of vitamins A, C, E, and triglycerides were observed in the high cholesterol group.
- A significant proportion (33%) of infants maintained high cholesterol levels at twelve months.
Conclusions:
- Early introduction of solid foods and increased milk consumption are associated with higher serum cholesterol levels in infants.
- Hypercholesterolemia identified in infancy can be persistent, highlighting the need for early nutritional interventions.
- Further research is warranted to understand the long-term impact of these early feeding patterns on infant health.
Abstract:
In our longitudinal study on the influence of nutrition upon health during infancy we found in a cohort of 556 infants in good health, 6.4% of infants at six months with a total serum cholesterol level above 200 mg/100 ml. Because of the known importance of hypercholesterolemia for health we studied the role of the food intake patterns during the first six months in relation to the serum cholesterol. We analysed the 24 hours dietary recalls, the dietary habits and a set of biochemical determinations used for evaluation of nutritional status: 35 infants, 21 girls and 14 boys, were compared with a control group matched for sex and birth date. There were no differences in mean body weight and socio-demographic characteristics. Daily energy and protein intake was higher in the study group. Analysing milk consumption we found that the daily intake was always higher in the high cholesterol group. The solid foods were introduced earlier in the study group, i.e. for 46% of infants in the second week of life. The serum levels of vitamins A, C, and E, and of triglyceride were higher in the high cholesterol groups. At twelve months 33% of infants with the cholesterol level above 200 mg/100 ml we included in the studied group remain still with a high level. This tendency underlines the need of further research.