Babies' diet linked to heart disease

The study highlights the benefits of breast feeding

Mothers who stop breast feeding their babies too early are increasing the risk that their children will develop heart disease and diabetes later in life, according to a study.

Researchers at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital said that babies who are introduced to solid food too soon show greater signs of heart disease by their teenage years.

The research, which is supported by the Medical Research Council, compared the diets of 159 children between the ages of 11 and 14 when they were infants.

It concluded that babies who were breast fed for longer showed less signs of heart disease by the time they were 13.

To find out that what you ate in the first year of life is affecting your heart and blood vessels by the time you are a teenager is quite remarkable

Professor Jill Belch

Of the 159 children tested, 20% had above-average levels of cholesterol and blood sugar. The same number also had abnormalities of the blood vessels, a condition which is a major cause of heart attacks.

The research linked the abnormalities in blood vessels to the introduction of solid food in the diet before the baby was 15 weeks old.

Official figures estimate that nearly 90% of Scottish mothers give their babies solid foods before they are 15 weeks despite official medical advice not to.

The study also concluded that babies fed on bottled milk were more likely to develop high levels of cholesterol, which can cause heart disease and sugar in the blood, which can lead to diabetes.

'Better blood flow'

This was not the case for children who had been breast fed for longer periods.

The research was carried out by Professor Jill Belch, Dr Steve Greene and Dr Stewart Forsyth at Ninewells.

Professor Belch said children who had been breast fed after 15 weeks showed signs of better blood flow.

The study says breast fed children are healthier

"What we have shown is that any early introduction of solids is linked with a poor ability to vasodilate the blood vessels," she said.

"To find out that what you ate in the first year of life is affecting your heart and blood vessels by the time you are a teenager is quite remarkable.

"We have also found links between some of the risk factors for heart disease and the way these children were fed during infancy, in particular cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

"There does seem to be some protection from the glucose and cholesterol effects in the group that were breast fed."

The ongoing study is set to evaluate the theory that a change of diet will help teenagers with potential heart problems.