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Breastfeeding and fatty liver — is there any association?
, 2, 1, 2
Affiliations- Department and Clinical Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Oncological Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Public Health in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Bytom, Poland, Poland
open access
Abstract
The campaign to promote the natural feeding of infants, at least for the first six months of life, conducted over recent years has deep justification from a medical point of view. Numerous gynecological and pediatric societies around the world recommend breastfeeding as the most appropriate way of feeding infants. It has been proven that the benefits of this type of nutrition go beyond nutritional aspects, proper growth and development. The list of long-term metabolic benefits, which include reducing the incidence of obesity, allergies, infections and diabetes, is constantly growing. It has been shown that the method of feeding infants using various mechanisms may influence the tendency of the liver to accumulate fatty compounds and develop fatty liver disease with its metabolic consequences leading to liver failure, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. This is an important discovery due to the growing obesity epidemic in adults and children. Metabolic dysfunction — associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has become the most common cause of chronic liver disease, affecting 25% of the global population. The results of studies conducted in recent years have shown the protective effect of breastfeeding on the risk of developing MAFLD later in life in both children and breastfeeding women. New scientific reports provide the basis for qualifying breastfeeding as a modifiable risk factor for MAFLD.
Abstract
The campaign to promote the natural feeding of infants, at least for the first six months of life, conducted over recent years has deep justification from a medical point of view. Numerous gynecological and pediatric societies around the world recommend breastfeeding as the most appropriate way of feeding infants. It has been proven that the benefits of this type of nutrition go beyond nutritional aspects, proper growth and development. The list of long-term metabolic benefits, which include reducing the incidence of obesity, allergies, infections and diabetes, is constantly growing. It has been shown that the method of feeding infants using various mechanisms may influence the tendency of the liver to accumulate fatty compounds and develop fatty liver disease with its metabolic consequences leading to liver failure, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. This is an important discovery due to the growing obesity epidemic in adults and children. Metabolic dysfunction — associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has become the most common cause of chronic liver disease, affecting 25% of the global population. The results of studies conducted in recent years have shown the protective effect of breastfeeding on the risk of developing MAFLD later in life in both children and breastfeeding women. New scientific reports provide the basis for qualifying breastfeeding as a modifiable risk factor for MAFLD.
Keywords
breastfeeding; metabolic diseases; fatty liver
About this articleTitle
Breastfeeding and fatty liver — is there any association?
Journal
Issue
Article type
Review paper
Published online
2024-03-01
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99
Article views/downloads
58
DOI
Pubmed
Keywords
breastfeeding
metabolic diseases
fatty liver
Authors
Weronika Powroslo
Magdalena Wymyslo-Filipecka
Agnieszka Drosdzol-Cop
Brygida Adamek
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