# Infant Milk Formula to Prevent Obesity



## Dave (Apr 23, 2007)

BBC NEWS | Health | Fat-fighting baby milk criticised
Scientists working on formula milk that prevents child obesity | The Guardian | Guardian Unlimited
Channel 4 - News - 'Anti-obesity' infant formula
Scotsman.com News - Sci-Tech - Scientists want to put hormones in baby food 'to beat obesity'
Scientist create 'anti-obesity' infant formula - Independent Online Edition > Health Medical

Controversial research aims to develop an infant formula designed to be given to babies to prevent obesity and diabetes in later life.

What I thought when I read this was, "What is already in infant milk formulae?"

Last time I tasted it (a long time ago now) it was absolutely disgusting (although soya milk is even worse.) It reminds me of those body-building health-food shop supplements that I would never touch.

No doubt, infant milk formulae are already filled with interesting hormones and chemicals that every growing baby "needs." I think it is another reason why mother's milk should be preferred.

There is probably a science fiction story here too. I noticed most of the headlines are "Scientists plan to...." - those evil scientists again, making our kids into monsters.


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## j d worthington (Apr 23, 2007)

No evidence that breast-fed children will resist obesity throughout life. Gee, how can we test that.... Oh, I know:

*HOW ABOUT LOOKING AT THE INCIDENCE OF OBESITY FROM PERIODS BEFORE THE INTRODUCTION OF BABY FORMULAS, WHEN BREAST-FEEDING WAS THE METHOD?*

In other words... let's look at such things before even considering running tests on newborns, infants, or children... whaddaya say? And anything that mucks about with the "hard-wiring" of the brain is something to be _very_, _*very*_ cautious about... especially at those crucial early years when brain development is so easily interfered with by introduction of pharmaceuticals. We'd need to know a damned sight more about how this effects mammalian brain development in general before testing it on humans, don'tcha think?

And, while it's an old line, it remains a true one: How in the devil do we expect to make any sort of case for reducing the use of drugs in our culture (legal or otherwise) when we keep looking to pharmaceuticals for a "quick fix" for every darned thing?


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## Talysia (Apr 23, 2007)

I may be just a layperson, but wouldn't it be better if we gave children a better and healthier diet throughout their lives rather than looking for a quick fix from a pharmaceutical company?


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## kythe (Apr 23, 2007)

j. d. worthington said:


> No evidence that breast-fed children will resist obesity throughout life. Gee, how can we test that.... Oh, I know:
> 
> *HOW ABOUT LOOKING AT THE INCIDENCE OF OBESITY FROM PERIODS BEFORE THE INTRODUCTION OF BABY FORMULAS, WHEN BREAST-FEEDING WAS THE METHOD?*


 
JD, I'm not sure what you are saying, but there have been a number of studies that have tracked the growth of breastfed children vs formula fed children and it has been consistently shown that those who were breastfed are smaller.  For instance, an exclusively breastfed baby can be expected to multiply their birth weight by 2.5 times within their first year, but an exclusively formula fed baby should multiply their birth weight by 3 times during the first year.  Other studies have confirmed more long-term weight control benefits.  Not that any of this cancels out genetic influence or an unhealthy lifestyle, but it is a factor that can influence a person's weight in the long run.

Adding something to formula that is already in breastmilk isn't the same as using a pharmaceudical quick fix for a problem (except in the sense that formula actually is artificial).  It happens all the time as more research is done.

It is interesting though, that they are also considering adding this to infant and "children's" foods to help prevent obesity.  I mean, God forbid we just eat well.


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## j d worthington (Apr 23, 2007)

To clarify: what I was getting at was to look at the statistics of periods before the advent of formula, for instance -- look at the numbers on obesity there (where possible). Obviously, even if leptin is somewhat effective, it's not anywhere near as effective as the proponents seem to think. Also, there's a huge difference between a naturally produced hormone and an artificially produced hormone supplement, as we've seen with numerous other substances; and in anything that plays around with brain chemistry, we'd damned well better know what we're doing before we go mucking about with our children's heads. If considerably more testing of other forms indicates it is safe, eventually human tests would be necessary. But we should not be doing something of this sort until we've had a lot more evidence to support such a conclusion. If adults want to be guinea pigs for tests which alter the brain chemistry, they're welcome to it, and I applaud them for what they allow us to learn. But their brains are (by and large) already through the major developmental stages, and they are of an age to make a judgment call on such. Testing on infants and children, where brain development is incredibly complex and dependent on so many factors (many of which we're still learning about), is simply not a good idea without first making darned sure there are no deleterious effects with other subjects.

Sorry for the lengthy answer -- I was trying to make that entire point with a rather brief comment, and I guess it didn't translate well. Chalk it up to 6-1/2 hours sleep in the last 3 days....


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## The Ace (Apr 23, 2007)

Talysia said:


> I may be just a layperson, but wouldn't it be better if we gave children a better and healthier diet throughout their lives rather than looking for a quick fix from a pharmaceutical company?


 
  Smack on the nose, Talysia.  Remember, nature confronted this problem eons ago and came up with the perfect solution.  As long as Mum enjoys a decent diet kids shouldn't have a problem.


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## Talysia (Apr 23, 2007)

Hmm, good point Ace.


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