Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 7, 2026

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect
05:04

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect

Published on: September 22, 2023

Is the association of breastfeeding with child obesity explained by infant weight change?

Lenie van Rossem1, Elsie M Taveras, Matthew W Gillman

  • 1The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. l.vanrossem@erasmusmc.nl

International Journal of Pediatric Obesity : IJPO : an Official Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity
|October 29, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Infant weight change partially mediates the link between breastfeeding and childhood adiposity. Early infant weight changes influence later body mass index (BMI) and obesity risk.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Childhood Obesity

Background:

  • Breastfeeding and infant weight change are linked to childhood adiposity.
  • Understanding these relationships is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the extent to which infant weight change mediates the association between breastfeeding and adiposity at age 3 years.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study of 884 children.
  • Assessed breastfeeding status in the first 6 months.
  • Measured body mass index (BMI) z score, skinfold thicknesses, and obesity at age 3 years.
  • Defined infant weight change as the change in weight-for-age z score between birth and 6 months.
  • Utilized multivariable regression analyses.

Main Results:

  • Fully breastfed children had lower BMI z scores compared to never breastfed children.
  • Infant weight change partially attenuated the association between breastfeeding and BMI z score.
  • Infant weight change modestly attenuated associations with skinfold thicknesses and obesity risk.

Conclusions:

  • Infant weight change between birth and 6 months partially mediates the association between breastfeeding and BMI.
  • The mediation effect is partial for other indicators of child adiposity.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Assessment of the Efficacy of An Osteopathic Treatment in Infants with Biomechanical Impairments to Suckling07:11

Assessment of the Efficacy of An Osteopathic Treatment in Infants with Biomechanical Impairments to Suckling

Published on: February 5, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Obesity01:24

Obesity

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in adipocytes...
Drug Dosing: Obese Patients01:21

Drug Dosing: Obese Patients

In the United States, obesity is a prominent concern. It is linked to heightened mortality rates due to increased occurrences of conditions such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and diabetes compared to nonobese individuals. A patient is classified as obese if their actual body weight surpasses the ideal or desirable body weight by 20%, based on Metropolitan Life Insurance Company data. Ideal body weights consider average weights and heights for males and females...
Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Absorption and Distribution01:25

Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Absorption and Distribution

Obesity significantly alters the pharmacokinetic processes of drug absorption and distribution, presenting unique challenges in medical treatment. The increased fat tissue and decreased lean muscle in obese individuals can significantly affect how drugs are absorbed into the body and distributed across different tissues. This alteration can lead to variances in the effectiveness and safety of medications, necessitating adjustments in dosing or drug selection for obese patients.One notable...
Development of Human Microbiota01:30

Development of Human Microbiota

The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...
Anatomy of the Intestines01:23

Anatomy of the Intestines

Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the small...
Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Metabolism and Excretion01:20

Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Metabolism and Excretion

Drug metabolism, a critical process in the liver, involves two primary phases: Phase I reactions and Phase II conjugation. Obesity introduces significant alterations in this metabolic process, primarily due to fatty infiltration of the liver, leading to conditions such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This condition can modify the activities of both Phase I and II enzymes, impacting how drugs are metabolized in obese patients.Phase I metabolism sees variable effects across...