How does breastfeeding influence children obesity?

A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that high-intensity exercise led to increased concentrations of a hormone called adiponectin in human breast milk.

The study involved 24 healthy 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 who performed both 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞-𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Breast milk samples were collected before and after each session. The results showed that after the high-intensity exercise sessions, there was a 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧 concentrations in the breast milk compared to the moderate-intensity sessions. Adiponectin is known for its 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦 and insulin sensitivity.

Researchers also observed that the increase in adiponectin levels correlated with the intensity of the exercise, suggesting a 𝐝𝐨𝐬𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧 concentration in breast milk. This finding highlights 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞 for lactating women and their infants. The increase in adiponectin levels in breast milk could potentially provide 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 to breastfeeding infants.

The study emphasizes the 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 and suggests that incorporating high-intensity exercise into their routine may have 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡.