Related Experiment Videos
Breast feeding and obesity: cross sectional study
R von Kries1, B Koletzko, T Sauerwald
1Institute for Social Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Ludwig Maximilians University, Heiglhofstr 63, D-81377 Munich, Germany.
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.)
|July 16, 1999
Summary
Promoting prolonged breastfeeding significantly reduces childhood obesity and overweight risk. This protective effect, observed even after accounting for other factors, suggests breastfeeding is a key preventive strategy for long-term child health.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Public Health
- Childhood Obesity Prevention
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern in industrialized nations.
- Early life factors, including infant feeding practices, are increasingly recognized as critical determinants of long-term health outcomes.
- Understanding the role of breastfeeding in preventing obesity is essential for developing effective public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between breastfeeding and the risk of obesity and being overweight in children at school entry.
- To determine if a dose-response relationship exists between the duration of breastfeeding and the prevalence of childhood obesity.
- To evaluate the protective effect of breastfeeding against overweight and obesity, independent of confounding factors like social class and lifestyle.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted using routine health examination data from 134,577 children in Bavaria, Germany.
- A subsample of 13,345 children had feeding, diet, and lifestyle factors assessed via parental questionnaires.
- Overweight was defined as BMI above the 90th percentile, and obesity as BMI above the 97th percentile for German children aged 5-6 years.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of obesity was lower in breastfed children (2.8%) compared to never-breastfed children (4.5%).
- A significant dose-response relationship was observed: longer exclusive breastfeeding durations (6-12 months and >12 months) were associated with progressively lower obesity prevalence.
- Breastfeeding demonstrated a significant protective effect against obesity (OR 0.75) and being overweight (OR 0.79) after adjusting for confounding variables.
Conclusions:
- Promoting prolonged breastfeeding in industrialized countries can be an effective strategy to reduce childhood obesity prevalence.
- Given that obese children are at high risk of adult obesity, breastfeeding interventions may contribute to reducing the future burden of obesity-related diseases, including cardiovascular conditions.
- The findings underscore the importance of supporting and encouraging breastfeeding as a fundamental public health measure for preventing chronic diseases later in life.