Breast feeding in infancy and arterial endothelial function later in life. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 63; no. 5; pp. 640 - 645
• Main Authors: Järvisalo, M J, Hutri-Kähönen, N, Juonala, M, Mikkilä, V, Räsänen, L, Lehtimäki, T, Viikari, J, Raitakari, O T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.05.2009; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Age Factors; arteries; Atherosclerosis; Biological and medical sciences; Birth Weight; blood flow; Blood Pressure; bottle feeding; Brachial Artery; Brachial Artery - diagnostic imaging; Brachial Artery - physiopathology; Breast; Breast Feeding; Breast milk; Breastfeeding & lactation; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Carotid Arteries; Carotid Arteries - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Arteries - physiopathology; Carotid artery; Cholesterol; Clinical Nutrition; Coronary heart disease; diameter; Diameters; disease incidence; endothelium; Endothelium, Vascular; Endothelium, Vascular - diagnostic imaging; Endothelium, Vascular - physiopathology; Epidemiology; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Finland; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gender differences; Health aspects; Health risks; Heart; Humans; Infant; infant feeding; Infant, Newborn; Internal Medicine; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Men; Metabolic Diseases; Morbidity; Nutrition; Nutrition research; original-article; physiology; physiopathology; Premature Birth; Prevention; Public Health; Regional Blood Flow; Regional Blood Flow - physiology; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Smoking; Structure-function relationships; Tunica Intima; Tunica Intima - diagnostic imaging; Tunica Intima - physiopathology; Tunica Media; Tunica Media - diagnostic imaging; Tunica Media - physiopathology; Ultrasonic testing; Ultrasonography; Vascular Diseases; Vascular Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Vascular Diseases - physiopathology; Vasodilation; Vasodilation - physiology; Veins & arteries; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Waist Circumference; Women; Young adults; Europe; Finland; atherosclerosis; arteries; risk factors; breast feeding; ultrasound; Human; Metabolic diseases; Infant; Cardiovascular disease; Breast feeding; Coronary heart disease; Artery; Endothelium; Vascular disease; Blood vessel; Atherosclerosis; Risk factor; Cardiovascular risk; Circulatory system; Ultrasound
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2008.17

Background/Objectives: Breast feeding in infancy may be associated with reduced cardiovascular morbidity in adulthood. We examined the association between breast feeding in infancy and arterial function and structure in adulthood in a population-based cohort of Finnish adults. Subjects/Methods: Noninvasive ultrasound was used to measure brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid artery compliance (CAC) in 1667 young adults participating in the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study with data on early nutrition. Results: Maximal FMD was higher in breast-fed men compared to formula-fed men (7.2±4.0 vs 5.9±3.4%, P =0.029) while no differences were seen between breast-fed and formula-fed women (8.9±4.5 vs 8.8±5.0%, P =0.84). In men, the multivariable correlates of FMD included the group variable for breast feeding ( P =0.014), birth weight ( P =0.043), waist circumference ( P <0.001) and baseline brachial artery diameter ( P <0.001). In women, the multivariable correlates of FMD were birth weight ( P =0.02), waist circumference ( P <0.001) and brachial artery baseline diameter ( P <0.001). Breast feeding was not significantly associated with IMT or CAC in multivariable models. Conclusions: Adult men who have been breast fed have better brachial endothelial function compared to men who have been formula fed.