COBRE Phase III Year 4 Pilot: Salivary Biological Markers Associated With Infant Diet, Phase II

The presence of leptin and adiponectin in breast milk has been linked to the regulation of growth in early infancy and energy balance and metabolic disorders in both childhood and adulthood. To date little is known about the detection of leptin and adiponectin in infant saliva. Saliva is an easy way to obtain noninvasive bio-fluid and we hypothesize that levels of biological markers (leptin and adiponectin) can be measured reliably in infant saliva and will discriminate infant feeding type (breastfed and formula-fed, or infants receiving formula and breast milk). This proposal requests supplemental funds to an ongoing project to increase sample size and follow-up collection of biological markers in a study group of infants. The premise of this proposed study is to test that a non-invasive infant salivary test for leptin and adiponectin is associated with infant growth. Findings from this study shall serve as a foundation to better understanding of the development of childhood obesity and/or metabolic disorders.