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Breastfeeding and childhood obesity: A 12-country study

Jian Ma1, Yijuan Qiao1, Pei Zhao1

  • 1Tianjin Women's and Children's Health Center, Tianjin, China.

Maternal & Child Nutrition
|March 7, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Exclusive breastfeeding may protect children from obesity and high body fat. This study found lower odds of these conditions in breastfed children, though the association weakened when maternal BMI was considered.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Nutrition Science

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a growing global health concern with long-term implications.
  • Breastfeeding is recognized for its numerous health benefits for infants and mothers.
  • Understanding the role of breastfeeding in preventing childhood obesity is crucial for public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between breastfeeding and the prevalence of obesity and high body fat in children aged 9-11 years.
  • To explore the dose-response relationship between breastfeeding duration and these health outcomes.
  • To control for various confounding factors including maternal and child characteristics, lifestyle, and diet.

Main Methods:

  • A multinational cross-sectional study involving 4,740 children from 12 countries.
  • Data collection included parent-reported breastfeeding history and standardized measurements of height, weight, waist circumference, and body fat.
  • Multivariable regression analyses were performed to adjust for potential confounders.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of obesity, central obesity, and high body fat was 12.3%, 9.9%, and 8.1%, respectively.
  • Exclusive breastfeeding was associated with significantly lower odds of obesity (OR 0.76) and high body fat (OR 0.60) compared to exclusive formula feeding, after adjusting for multiple factors.
  • A trend of decreasing odds for obesity and high body fat was observed with longer breastfeeding durations, although these associations became non-significant after adjusting for maternal BMI.

Conclusions:

  • Breastfeeding, particularly exclusive breastfeeding, may act as a protective factor against obesity and high body fat in school-aged children.
  • The findings suggest a potential benefit of breastfeeding for long-term weight management.
  • Further research, including longitudinal studies, is warranted to confirm these findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms, especially considering the influence of maternal BMI.

Keywords:
breastfeedingcentralchildrenepidemiologymultinationobesityobesitybody fat

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