By Suzanne Rostler

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Breast-feeding is associated with a host of medical and developmental advantages during infancy and childhood. Now, new findings suggest that its health benefits may also extend into adulthood.

According to the study, adults who were breast-fed as infants had lower cholesterol levels than their peers who were fed formula. The results, which are published in the September issue of Pediatrics, suggest breast-feeding may program fat metabolism and subsequently reduce the risk of heart disease later in life.

While the average difference was slight, it would translate into a roughly 10% reduction in the rate of heart disease in the population, the researchers estimate.

"At this stage, it would be premature to recommend breast-feeding on these grounds; the case for breast-feeding is based on evidence of protection against infection and allergic disorders, and obesity, coupled with the possibility of improved neurodevelopment," Dr. Christopher G. Owen from St. George's Hospital in London, UK, and colleagues, explain.

"However, it is possible that these benefits are accompanied by a long-term reduction in coronary heart disease risk," they add.

The findings are based on a study involving more than 1,500 13- to 16-year old students, and a review of 37 published reports on the relationship between infant feeding and cholesterol levels in infancy, childhood, and adolescence.

There was no association between the infant feeding method in the first three months of life and cholesterol levels among students, regardless of whether they had started puberty and irrespective of social class and body-build.

Among infants, breast-feeding was associated with higher cholesterol levels, probably as a result of the higher cholesterol content of breast milk compared with formula, said Owen in an interview with Reuters Health.

But among adults, those who were breast-fed had lower cholesterol levels than their bottle-fed counterparts.

"This study may have implications for the content of formula feed milks," Owen said, adding that large studies in which infant feeding method and cholesterol in adulthood are taken into account, are needed.

SOURCE: Pediatrics 2002;110:597-608.