Preterm birth is an increasing worldwide problem. Prematurity is the second most common
cause of death in children under 5 years of age. It is associated with a higher risk of several …

The assembly of the newborn's gut microbiota during the first months of life is an
orchestrated process resulting in specialized microbial ecosystems in the different gut …

Human milk (HM) contains macronutrients, micronutrients, and a multitude of other bioactive
factors, which can have a long-term impact on infant growth and development. We …

Decades of epidemiological research have established that breastfeeding is associated with
a modest reduction in risk of later overweight and obesity. However, no systematic effort has …

Objectives: Pediatric overweight and obesity are growing problems worldwide, with
increasing prevalence among even infants and young children. The refractory nature of …

Background Maternal Body Mass Index (BMI) is positively associated with infant obesity risk.
Breast milk contains a number of hormones that may influence infant metabolism during the …

Leptin ingested as a component of breast milk is increasingly recognized to play a role in the
postnatal programming of a healthy phenotype in adulthood. Besides its primary function in …

Emerging research has highlighted the importance of leptin in fetal growth and development
independent of its essential role in the maintenance of hunger and satiety through the …

Recent evidences suggest that a number of chronic diseases seems to be associated with
early prenatal and postnatal nutrition, even though the mechanisms underlying the link …

Background: The presence of the adipokines adiponectin and leptin in cord blood and
placental and fetal tissues suggests a possible role in fetal development. Methods: We …