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Breast-feeding and growth in children until the age of 3 years: the Generation R Study

Büşra Durmuş1, Lenie van Rossem, Liesbeth Duijts

  • 1The Generation R Study Group (AE-006), Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

The British Journal of Nutrition
|February 1, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Shorter duration and exclusivity of breast-feeding in the first six months are linked to faster growth rates in infants. However, this association did not consistently predict overweight or obesity risks by age three.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Nutrition Science
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Breast-feeding is hypothesized to reduce childhood obesity risks.
  • Early postnatal growth is a critical factor for later health outcomes.
  • Understanding the impact of breast-feeding on infant growth is essential for public health recommendations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between breast-feeding duration and exclusivity with early postnatal growth rates.
  • To assess the relationship between breast-feeding patterns and the risk of overweight and obesity in preschool children.
  • To analyze growth trajectories from birth up to three years of age.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based prospective cohort study involving 5047 children and mothers in The Netherlands.
  • Assessment of breast-feeding duration and exclusivity.
  • Monitoring of growth parameters including length, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI) at various time points.
  • Statistical analysis of growth rates and risk of overweight/obesity.

Main Results:

  • No association was found between breast-feeding and growth rates before three months of age.
  • Shorter breast-feeding duration and exclusivity were linked to increased growth rates for length, weight, and BMI between three and six months.
  • Breast-feeding duration and exclusivity did not show consistent associations with overweight or obesity risks at ages one, two, and three years.

Conclusions:

  • Shorter breast-feeding duration and exclusivity in the first six months may be associated with accelerated infant growth.
  • The observed accelerated growth did not consistently translate into increased risks of overweight or obesity by age three.
  • Further research is needed to understand the long-term implications of early growth patterns related to breast-feeding.

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