Protein intake in infancy and carotid intima media thickness at 5 years--a secondary analysis from a randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Nutrition in childhood has an influence on the cardiovascular function later on in life. European Childhood Obesity Project is a multicenter, randomized clinical intervention trial examining the effect of early protein intake on later health outcomes, particularly adiposity and related disorders. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of nutritional intervention--different protein intake in infancy on carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) at 5 years. The association of cardiovascular risk factors with cIMT was also assessed.

METHODS: Healthy term formula-fed infants in five European countries were enrolled either to the higher (HP) or to the lower (LP) protein group. Observational group consisted of breastfed infants. Plasma insulin, glucose, lipid profile, IGF-1, apolipoprotein A1 and B were measured as well as anthropometric parameters of parents and a child, blood pressure and physical activity.

RESULTS: No difference in cIMT between HP and LP group was observed. Insulin, HOMA-IR index and total IGF-1 were positively associated with cIMT but after adjustment for confounders only an inverse association between ApoA1 and positive between ApoB/ApoA1 and cIMT were significant.

CONCLUSION: High versus low protein intake in infancy does not influence cIMT at 5 years. cIMT in healthy children at 5 years is associated with their apolipoprotein profile.