FORMULA INTAKE AND BLOOD PRESSURE IN YOUNG ADULTS

A growing number of studies have reported that early nutrition appears to have long-term implications for health. Birth size, a reflection of prenatal nutrition, has been linked to effects on blood pressure later in life. A longitudinal study has recently found that early postnatal nutrition also has an effect on blood pressure of young adults, independently of birth weight.

The data came from the Barry Caerphilly Growth study, which was a prenatal intervention carried out in two towns in Wales from 1972-74. The intervention provided tokens to 1163 pregnant women to purchase milk. The intervention had no effect on birth outcomes or on early child growth. However, the data provided the basis for a follow-up study of those individuals, 25 years after the original intervention was over. The researchers were able to locate 679 of the young adults and measure current blood pressure, weights, and heights. They also collected data on alcohol intake, smoking, and other lifestyle factors. From the original dataset, they were able to extract ounces of formula consumed at 10 days, 6 weeks, and 3 months of life, although actual breastfeeding data were not available.

Therefore, they were able to calculate the adverse effects of greater formula intakes on blood pressure in young adults. In this population, about 67% were receiving mixed feedings by 6 weeks of age, and there was a tendency for mothers from low-socioeconomic levels to give less formula (and presumable more breast milk). Those individuals who had the highest formula intakes at 3 months of age also had higher systolic blood pressure and greater body mass index in young adulthood. Accounting for the effects of birth weight, social class, current smoking and alcohol use, and current body mass index did not significantly change the results.

Although the composition of formula has changed since the 1970’s to become more similar to breast milk, human milk naturally varies in composition during the first year of life and contains many other substances-not found in formula- that may affect early growth and development.

Source: Martin RM, McCarthy A, Smith GD, Davies DP, Ben-Shlomo Y. Infant nutrition and blood pressure in early adulthood: the Barry Caerphilly Growth study. Am J Clin Nutr 2003; 77: 1489-97.

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