Breast Feeding, Obesity, and Asthma Association: Clinical and Molecular Views

Overview

Journal Clin Mol Allergy

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Allergy & Immunology

Date 2023 Oct 3

PMID 37789370

Authors

Naghmeh Kian

Alireza Bagheri

Fardis Salmanpour

Afsaneh Soltani

Zahra Mohajer

Noosha Samieefar

Behzad Barekatain

Roya Kelishadi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic condition that affects children worldwide. Accumulating number of studies reported that the prevalence of pediatric obesity and asthma might be altered through breastfeeding. It has been proposed that Leptin, which exists in human milk, is oppositely associated with weight increase in newborns. It may also influence peripheral immune system by promoting TH1 responses and suppressing TH2 cytokines. Leptin influences body weight and immune responses through complex signaling pathways at molecular level. Although previous studies provide explanations for the protective role of breastfeeding against both obesity and asthma, other factors such as duration of breastfeeding, parental, and prenatal factors may confound this relationship which requires further research.

Citing Articles

Pathophysiological Role of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Diet-Induced Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in Animal Models.

Fejes A, Sebekova K, Borbelyova V Nutrients. 2025; 17(2).

PMID: 39861371 PMC: 11768048. DOI: 10.3390/nu17020241.

Effect of Nutrition in the First Two Years of Life on Body Composition of Preschool-Aged Children.

Elasheer Sr O, Mahmoud A, Rassmy M, A Farghl M, Darwish M, AboElgheet A Cureus. 2025; 16(12):e75115.

PMID: 39759652 PMC: 11698572. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.75115.

The Impact of Malnutrition on the Developing Lung and Long-Term Lung Health: A Narrative Review of Global Literature.

Tharumakunarajah R, Lee A, Hawcutt D, Harman N, Sinha I Pulm Ther. 2024; 10(2):155-170.

PMID: 38758409 PMC: 11282003. DOI: 10.1007/s41030-024-00257-z.

References

Oken E, Levitan E, Gillman M . Maternal smoking during pregnancy and child overweight: systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Obes (Lond). 2008; 32(2):201-10. PMC: 2586944. DOI: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0803760. View

Gautron L, Elmquist J . Sixteen years and counting: an update on leptin in energy balance. J Clin Invest. 2011; 121(6):2087-93. PMC: 3104762. DOI: 10.1172/JCI45888. View

Williams J, Carrothers J, Lackey K, Beatty N, York M, Brooker S . Human Milk Microbial Community Structure Is Relatively Stable and Related to Variations in Macronutrient and Micronutrient Intakes in Healthy Lactating Women. J Nutr. 2017; 147(9):1739-1748. PMC: 5572491. DOI: 10.3945/jn.117.248864. View

Ino T . Maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring obesity: meta-analysis. Pediatr Int. 2009; 52(1):94-9. DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-200X.2009.02883.x. View

Peters-Golden M, Swern A, Bird S, Hustad C, Grant E, Edelman J . Influence of body mass index on the response to asthma controller agents. Eur Respir J. 2006; 27(3):495-503. DOI: 10.1183/09031936.06.00077205. View

Orlova E, Shirshev S . Role of leptin and ghrelin in induction of differentiation of IL-17-producing and T-regulatory cells. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2014; 156(6):819-22. DOI: 10.1007/s10517-014-2459-3. View

Friedman J . The maternal microbiome: Cause or consequence of obesity risk in the next generation?. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2017; 25(3):497-498. PMC: 5327733. DOI: 10.1002/oby.21795. View

Xu A, Ste-Marie L, Kaelin C, Barsh G . Inactivation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 in proopiomelanocortin (Pomc) neurons causes decreased pomc expression, mild obesity, and defects in compensatory refeeding. Endocrinology. 2006; 148(1):72-80. DOI: 10.1210/en.2006-1119. View

Moossavi S, Sepehri S, Robertson B, Bode L, Goruk S, Field C . Composition and Variation of the Human Milk Microbiota Are Influenced by Maternal and Early-Life Factors. Cell Host Microbe. 2019; 25(2):324-335.e4. DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2019.01.011. View

10.

Nagel G, Buchele G, Weinmayr G, Bjorksten B, Chen Y, Wang H . Effect of breastfeeding on asthma, lung function and bronchial hyperreactivity in ISAAC Phase II. Eur Respir J. 2009; 33(5):993-1002. DOI: 10.1183/09031936.00075708. View

11.

Medoff B, Okamoto Y, Leyton P, Weng M, Sandall B, Raher M . Adiponectin deficiency increases allergic airway inflammation and pulmonary vascular remodeling. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2009; 41(4):397-406. PMC: 2746986. DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2008-0415OC. View

12.

Lucas J, Moonie S, Hogan M, Evans W . Efficacy of an exercise intervention among children with comorbid asthma and obesity. Public Health. 2018; 159:123-128. DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2018.02.014. View

13.

Cvejoska-Cholakovska V, Kocova M, Velikj-Stefanovska V, Vlashki E . The Association between Asthma and Obesity in Children - Inflammatory and Mechanical Factors. Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2019; 7(8):1314-1319. PMC: 6514333. DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2019.310. View

14.

Lai L, Zhang T, Zeng X, Tan W, Cai L, Chen Y . Association between Physician-Diagnosed Asthma and Weight Status among Chinese Children: The Roles of Lifestyle Factors. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020; 17(5). PMC: 7084854. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17051599. View

15.

Duijts L, Jaddoe V, Hofman A, Moll H . Prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding reduces the risk of infectious diseases in infancy. Pediatrics. 2010; 126(1):e18-25. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2008-3256. View

16.

Sood A, Shore S . Adiponectin, Leptin, and Resistin in Asthma: Basic Mechanisms through Population Studies. J Allergy (Cairo). 2013; 2013:785835. PMC: 3832971. DOI: 10.1155/2013/785835. View

17.

Laplante M, Sabatini D . mTOR signaling in growth control and disease. Cell. 2012; 149(2):274-93. PMC: 3331679. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.03.017. View

18.

Han J, Nguyen J, Kim Y, Geng B, Romanowski G, Alejandro L . Effect of inhaled corticosteroid use on weight (BMI) in pediatric patients with moderate-severe asthma. J Asthma. 2018; 56(3):263-269. DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2018.1455853. View

19.

Vo P, Makker K, Matta-Arroyo E, Hall C, Arens R, Rastogi D . The association of overweight and obesity with spirometric values in minority children referred for asthma evaluation. J Asthma. 2012; 50(1):56-63. DOI: 10.3109/02770903.2012.744035. View

20.

Maya-Monteiro C, Bozza P . Leptin and mTOR: partners in metabolism and inflammation. Cell Cycle. 2008; 7(12):1713-7. DOI: 10.4161/cc.7.12.6157. View