Literature review for - Flourish Paediatrics

or Neutral) plus
descriptive)
RESULTS
Outcome
EXTERNAL
VALIDITY
Generalisability
Applicability
Comments
Conclusion
10/17 studies related breastfeeding to a lower mean concentration of total cholesterol in later life than was associated with
formula feeding. There was evidence of marked heterogeneity between studies (X²=30, P=0.02). In a fixed effects model the
breastfed subjects had marginally lower total cholesterol then did formula fed subjects mean diff: -0.04 mmol/L (95% CI
0.08-0.00 mmol/L). The pooled estimate from a random effects model was similar -0.05 mmol/L (95% CI -0.12-0.02
mmol/L). The mean difference was unaffected by exclusion of one study with nearly half of the statistical weight or after
adjustment for age, current SEP, BMI, smoking status or all. The overall mean difference in total cholesterol from the 7
studies reporting data for exclusive breast and bottle feeding was stronger mean difference -0.15 mmol/L (95% CI: 0.23- -
0.06 mmol/L) than that in the remaining 10 studies that did not report exclusive feeding. The mean differnce was little
affected by adjustment on a within-study basis for age, current SEP, BMI, and smoking status.
y
y
Initial breastfeeding (particularly when exclusive) may be associated with lower blood cholesterol concentrations in later
life. Moves to reduce the cholesterol content of formula feeds below those of breast milk should be treated with caution
498