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Pediatrics

Determinants of leptin in human breast milk: results of the Ulm SPATZ Health Study

International Journal of Obesity volume 43, pages 1174–1180 (2019)Cite this article

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Abstract

Background

Leptin in human breast milk has been implicated as a potential regulator of early-life metabolic programming. We comprehensively investigated the influence of maternal body mass index (BMI) and non-adiposity associated determinants on breast milk leptin concentration at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year postpartum.

Methods

The Ulm SPATZ Health Study consists of 1006 newborns and their mothers recruited from the general population in the University Medical Center Ulm, Southern Germany, in 2012/2013. Leptin concentration was measured in skimmed breast milk using commercially available ELISA (R&D System). Generalized estimating equations (GEE) accounting for repeated measures were used to calculate beta coefficients and 95% confidence intervals for association of potential demographic and lifestyle related determinants of hormone concentration with BMI-standardized leptin z-scores.

Results

Leptin concentration was measured in breast milk samples obtained from 694 mothers at approximately 6 weeks (n = 668), 6 months (n = 445), and 1 year (n = 69) postpartum. Differences in crude leptin concentrations between collection times were mostly explained by changes in BMI, breastfeeding frequency, and breast milk fat concentration. Positive associations between BMI and leptin were nonlinear and stronger among lower BMI subjects. Upon standardization, residual leptin concentrations were associated with maternal birth country, parity, age, and smoking history.

Conclusions

Breast milk leptin concentration is primarily determined by adiposity-related factors. Studies using BMI as a proxy measure for adiposity should account for an observed nonlinear association with leptin, which may be especially important in determining causal associations with health outcomes from this and other adiposity-related hormones in breast milk.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the midwives, nurses and obstetricians of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Ulm and the caring pediatricians and mothers and their families for their study support and participation. The authors would also like to thank Mrs. Gerlinde Trischler for providing excellent technical assistance.

Funding

The Ulm SPATZ Health Study was funded through an unrestricted grant by the Medical Faculty of Ulm University. This funder had no role in the study design, in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, in the writing of the report, or in the decision to submit the article for publication. The contributing researchers are independent of the funders.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany

    Chad A. Logan, Dietrich Rothenbacher & Jon Genuneit

  2. Department of Internal Medicine II - Cardiology, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany

    Wolfgang Koenig

  3. Deutsches Herzzentrum München, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany, partner site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany

    Wolfgang Koenig

  4. DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany

    Wolfgang Koenig

  5. Member of ‘In-FLAME’ the International Inflammation Network, World Universities Network (WUN), New York, USA

    Jon Genuneit

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  1. Chad A. Logan
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Correspondence to Jon Genuneit.

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Logan, C.A., Koenig, W., Rothenbacher, D. et al. Determinants of leptin in human breast milk: results of the Ulm SPATZ Health Study. Int J Obes 43, 1174–1180 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-018-0200-4

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