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Breastfeeding programs a person's metabolism for life
Last reviewed: 30.06.2025
Nutrition in the first days or weeks of life can have long-term consequences for a child's health, especially when it comes to the risk of developing metabolic disorders. According to pediatricians, a baby's initial nutrition literally programs the body's metabolism for the rest of its life.
The study, conducted by French doctors at the Claude Bernard University in Lyon, compared the height, weight and blood pressure of three groups of healthy, full-term infants. One group was given only breast milk for the first four months of life. The other two groups were given either low-protein or high-protein formula.
For three years, doctors monitored the health and development of the children. It was noted that babies who were exclusively breastfed during the first weeks of life had a better metabolic profile, lower diastolic blood pressure, and were generally healthier.
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