Breastfeeding attenuates the genetic predisposition to obesity in adolescence

The 'Growth, exercise, nutrition and development (GENUD)' group (GIIS066) of the IIS Aragón and the University of Zaragoza has published in the journal Pediatric Obesity A study that highlights the protective role of breastfeeding against obesity, after analyzing data from 715 European adolescents

La Breastfeeding attenuates the genetic predisposition to obesity in adolescence, according to a study led by the GENUD team (GIIS066) from the University of Zaragoza and the Aragon Health Research Institute, and published in the journal Pediatric Obesity, after analyzing data from 715 European adolescents, for which complete information was available on breastfeeding duration, body composition (measured by DXA), genetic profiles related to obesity, and sociodemographic factors. Specifically, the study reveals that adolescents
with high genetic risk who were breastfed for at least 1 month show significantly lower adiposity levels than those who were never breastfed. It also shows that breastfeeding for at least 4 months is associated with a smaller waist circumference, an important marker of abdominal adiposity.

The studio “Interaction between breastfeeding duration and an obesity genetic risk score to predict body fat
composition in European adolescents: The HELENA study”, which analyzes How the duration of breastfeeding interacts with genetic predisposition to obesity to influence body composition during adolescence, has been led by teachers Luis Moreno, Miguel Seral and Gerardo Rodríguez, together with postdoctoral researcher Iris Iglesia from the Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragon) in the group GENUD-Unizar, who shares the main co-authorship with Georgios Baxevanis.

The study is part of the European project HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence), coordinated by the University of Zaragoza and led by Professor Luis Moreno, funded by the European Commission under the Sixth Framework Programme. HELENA studied lifestyle and health factors in more than 3.000 teenagers from 10 countries Europeans, providing a unique basis for research such as this.

Childhood and adolescent obesity is one of the greatest global public health challenges, with causes that combine genetic and environmental factors. Understanding how early interventions, such as breastfeeding, can counteract genetic predisposition is key to designing effective prevention strategies", the researcher highlighted Iris Iglesia.

The research team used a genetic risk score (GRS) for obesity, based on 21 genetic variants previously identified in other studies. Each variant contributed to the total score based on its association with obesity risk, providing an integrated measure of individual genetic risk.

Main results The study identified a significant interaction between breastfeeding duration and GRS for obesity across several body composition parameters, even after adjusting for factors such as socioeconomic status, diet quality, and physical activity. Key findings include:

• Prolonged breastfeeding attenuates the genetic predisposition to obesity. Adolescents at high genetic risk who were breastfed for at least 1 month showed significantly lower adiposity indices than those who were never breastfed.
• Longer durations of breastfeeding are associated with better outcomes. Breastfeeding for at least 4 months was associated with a lower z-WC (waist circumference z-score), an important marker of abdominal adiposity.
• Higher risk in those who were never breastfed. Adolescents who were not breastfed showed higher adiposity rates than their peers who were breastfed.

These results highlight the protective role of breastfeeding against the development of obesity, especially in adolescents with a high genetic predisposition. Promoting and supporting breastfeeding from birth could be a key strategy to mitigate the adverse effects of genetics and prevent childhood and adolescent obesity, contributing to improved public health.

The full article can be found in the magazine Pediatric Obesity: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.13205

Source: Scientific Culture Unit, University of Zaragoza