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Breastfeeding and chronic disease in childhood and adolescence
1National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
Insights
Infant feeding methods impact chronic disease risk. Artificial feeding and short breastfeeding are linked to higher risks of type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, cancers, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Infant feeding practices are critical determinants of early life health.
- Emerging research links artificial feeding and limited breastfeeding to chronic conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the association between infant feeding and chronic disease risk.
- To highlight the need for further research into gene-environment interactions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on infant feeding and chronic disease.
- Analysis of associations between feeding types and disease incidence.
Main Results:
- Artificial infant feeding is associated with increased risks of type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, certain childhood cancers, and inflammatory bowel disease.
- Short-term breastfeeding also shows increased risk associations for these conditions.
Conclusions:
- Infant feeding practices represent a significant modifiable factor in chronic disease prevention.
- Future research focusing on genetic susceptibility and gene-environment interactions will clarify these associations.
Abstract:
A growing body of research suggests that infant feeding practices influence the risk for several chronic diseases of childhood and adolescence. Increased risks for type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, some childhood cancers, and inflammatory bowel disease have been associated with artificial infant feeding and short-term breastfeeding. As genetic susceptibility is understood more completely and gene-environment interactions are elucidated, evidence to either confirm or refute these findings will be forthcoming.