Faut-il enrichir les laits infantiles avec du cholestérol ?

Breast milk provides 5 to 10 times the amount of cholesterol of that of an equivalent adult. In comparison, infant formulas historically made from milk fat also brought up cholesterol to infants but in smaller quantities due to dilution with vegetal fats used to adjust intakes. This breast milk/infant formula contrast has widened over the last twenty years due to a now almost systematic use of vegetal fats in formulas marketed in Europe. Epidemiological studies comparing breastfeeding to food formulas are now sufficiently numerous to point a risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood higher in infants initially fed formulas. Animal studies, although incomplete, suggest an early programming of cholesterol metabolism related to the nature of the initial intake in that sterol. This programming is likely to sound long-term about cholesterol and cardiovascular risk. Update on available data is given in this review, as well as possible ways to implement to answer the question of the importance of cholesterol intake in the neonatal period.