Relationship between breast milk feeding and atopic dermatitis in children

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Published on: September 26, 2019

Y Nakamura1, I Oki, S Tanihara

  • 1Department of Health Science, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi, Japan.

Journal of Epidemiology
|April 25, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Breast milk feeding slightly increases the risk of atopic dermatitis in children, though not significantly. Later parity orders may also elevate this risk, warranting further investigation into infant nutrition and eczema development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Dermatology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Atopic dermatitis is a common childhood condition with complex etiology.
  • The role of infant feeding practices, particularly breastfeeding, in atopic dermatitis development remains a subject of research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between breast milk feeding and the prevalence of atopic dermatitis in 3-year-old children.
  • To identify potential risk factors for atopic dermatitis in early childhood.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 3856 children aged 3 years.
  • Data collected via questionnaires on infant nutrition, maternal factors, and atopic dermatitis history.
  • Unconditional logistic regression models used for adjusted analyses.

Main Results:

  • Breast milk feeding showed a slightly elevated, but not statistically significant, risk of atopic dermatitis (OR = 1.16, 95% CI 0.96-1.40).
  • Maternal age over 30 and second or later parity orders also showed non-significant increases in risk.
  • No statistically significant associations were found after adjusting for confounding factors.

Conclusions:

  • Breast milk feeding may be associated with a minor, non-significant increase in atopic dermatitis risk.
  • The risk might be influenced by parity order, suggesting a potential interaction.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the complex relationship between infant feeding and atopic dermatitis.
Abstract

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