Breast milk leptin in childhood obesity

Obesity is a chronic condition, prevalent in both developed and developing countries and affects both adults and children. Childhood obesity is primarily a result of energy imbalance, whereby ingested calories exceed energy expended. leptin, which has been reported to be present in breast milk, is a hormone that is primarily synthesized and produced by adipocytes. It is identified as a key factor in maintaining energy balance and overall body weight composition. A potential link between maternal adiposity and milk leptin concentration had been suggested; therefore maternal body composition may influence neonatal leptin exposure in the breastfed infant. as there are few studies demonstrating its role on childhood obesity in humans, more researches on leptin's physiological effects are needed.