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	Podcast:		UC Science Today
	Episode:		Early exclusive breastfeeding linked to telomere length?
	Category:		Science & Medicine
	Duration:		00:01:03
	Publish Date:		2016-08-22 19:00:00
	Description:		Can exclusively breastfeeding a baby lengthen their telomeres, or the protective caps on their DNA? Shorter telomeres are linked to a higher risk of health problems like heart disease and diabetes later on in life. While studying obesity in a group of Latino children, epidemiologist Janet Wojcicki of the University of California, San Francisco noticed a connection between telomere length and breastfeeding habits. "Exclusive breastfeeding at 4 to 6 weeks of age and breastfeeding at 6 months were associated with longer telomere length in children at 4 to 5 years of age." Telomeres protect our cells as they divide and help prevent chronic disease. This is the first study linking breastfeeding and diet to early telomere shortening, and may help researchers predict and work to prevent conditions early in a child’s life. "This can be seen as in the realm of precision medicine – how do we use this particular tool, maybe, to help the risk prediction for future development of metabolic disease?"
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