Full Breastfeeding and Obesity in Children: A Prospective Study from Birth to 6 Years.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Obesity is a major public health crisis among both children and adults and contributes to significant physical, psychological, and economic burden. We aim to investigate the effect of duration of breastfeeding on excessive weight and obesity at 6 years of age.

SUBJECTS/METHODS:

Data on breastfeeding and child anthropometric measurements were collected in a birth-cohort study in Murcia, Spain (n = 350). Breastfeeding status and body mass index (BMI) were established according to WHO definitions. Other factors potentially related to children's weight were considered. Multiple log-linear and ordinal regressions were used to analyze the effects of breastfeeding on overweight and obesity when considering potential confounders.

RESULTS:

33% and 17.3% of children in the study were of excess weight and obesity, respectively. Univariate predictors of BMI in children aged 6 were as follows: pregestational maternal BMI (kg/m2) (R2 = 0.127, p < 0.01); full breastfeeding (weeks) R2 = -0.035, p < 0.01); infant weight gain (kg) (R2 = 0.348, p < 0.01); and maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy (g/day) (R2 = 0.266, p < 0.01) at age 6. In the ordinal logistic regression, full breastfeeding was associated with a significant decrease in obesity -0.052 (95% CI, -0.10 to -0.003).

CONCLUSIONS:

The delay of bottle feeding introduction may have a protective effect against obesity at 6 years of age. Our findings reinforce the need for greater support of breastfeeding and to promote a healthy environment and antipoverty interventions during pregnancy and infancy, alongside other strategies for obesity prevention.

• Authors: Juan Antonio Ortega-García, Nicole Kloosterman, Lizbeth Alvarez, Esther Tobarra-Sánchez, Alberto Cárceles-Álvarez, Rebeca Pastor-Valero, Fernando Antonio López-Hernández, Manuel Sánchez-Solis, Luz Claudio
• Journal: Childhood obesity (Print) (Child Obes) Vol. 14 Issue 5 Pg. 327-337 (07 2018) ISSN: 2153-2176 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 29912590 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Adult
• Breast Feeding (statistics & numerical data)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Humans
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Male
• Models, Statistical
• Mothers (statistics & numerical data)
• Pediatric Obesity (epidemiology)
• Prospective Studies
• Risk Factors
• Spain (epidemiology)