[Association of breastfeeding with behavioral problems and temperament development in children aged 4-5 years]
Fang Liu1, Li-Ji Ma, Ming-Ji Yi
1Department of Pediatrics, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong 255036, China.
Insights
Extended breastfeeding, especially over nine months, protects children from behavioral problems. Feeding patterns and duration significantly influence temperament development in preschoolers.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Nutrition
Context:
- Childhood behavioral issues can forecast future psychiatric disorders.
- Temperament is crucial for adult personality development.
- Understanding early life factors influencing child development is vital.
Purpose:
- To investigate the association between breastfeeding and behavioral problems in preschoolers.
- To examine the link between breastfeeding and temperament development in preschool children.
Summary:
- A study of 737 preschoolers (aged 4-5) analyzed feeding patterns and breastfeeding duration.
- Results indicate breastfeeding for >= 9 months is protective against behavioral problems in both boys and girls.
- Mixed feeding patterns and shorter breastfeeding durations were identified as risk factors for behavioral issues and influenced temperament.
Impact:
- Findings highlight the long-term benefits of breastfeeding on child behavior and personality.
- This research informs recommendations for infant feeding practices to promote healthy child development.
- Early intervention strategies can be developed based on the identified feeding-related risk factors.
Objective:
Childhood behavioral problems can predict future psychiatric disorders. Temperament development is important for a healthy personality in adulthood. This study investigated whether breastfeeding is associated with the occurrence of behavioral problems and the temperament development in preschool children.
Methods:
A total of 737 children (399 boys and 338 girls) aged 4-5 years in Zibo City were recruited by stratified random cluster sampling. They were born at term with a birth weight of >/= 2.5 kg. The feeding patterns and the breastfeeding duration in infancy were collected. Behavioral and temperament developments were investigated by the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), temperament questionnaire for 3-7-year-old children and a self-designed inventory questionnaire. The association of feeding patterns and the breastfeeding duration with behavioral problem occurrence and the temperament development in children were analyzed by a multivariate non-conditional logistic regression analysis and a multivariate stepwise regression analysis.
Results:
After controlling for confounding variables, such as family income and parental education levels, it was found that a breastfeeding duration of >/= 9 months was a protective factor against behavioral problem occurrence in boys (OR=0.184). In girls, a breastfeeding duration of >/= 9 months was also a protective factor against behavioral problem occurrence (OR=0.165), while a mixed feeding with more breast milk and less formula milk was a risk factor (OR=2.203). The factors influencing temperament development consisted of exclusive formula feeding and the duration of breastfeeding (lasting for 4-6 months or 7-9 months) as well as a mixed feeding (with more formula milk and less breast milk, more breast milk and less formula milk, or equal amount of both).
Conclusions:
The fewer amounts and the shorter duration of breastfeeding are risk factors for behavioral problems occurrence in children aged 4-5 years. Children's temperament development is correlated with the feeding patterns and the breastfeeding duration.
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