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Updated: Aug 25, 2025
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Association between breastfeeding, parents' body mass index and birth weight with obesity indicators in children
Maurício Dos Santos1, Gerson Ferrari2,3, Clemens Drenowatz4
1Centro de Estudos do Laboratório de Aptidão Física de São Caetano do Sul (CELAFISCS), São Caetano do Sul, Brazil.
Insights
Maternal body mass index and birth weight are linked to childhood obesity indicators. Addressing parental obesity is crucial for public health policies aimed at reducing childhood obesity rates.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing concern with potential links to early life factors.
- Factors such as breastfeeding, parental body mass index (BMI), and birth weight may influence a child's weight status.
- Understanding these associations is vital for developing effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between breastfeeding, parental BMI, and birth weight with obesity indicators in schoolchildren.
- To identify key perinatal and parental factors contributing to childhood obesity.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 402 schoolchildren aged 9-11 years in São Caetano do Sul, Brazil.
- Data collection included questionnaires on breastfeeding, birth weight, and parental anthropometrics (BMI).
- Obesity indicators measured were BMI, waist circumference, and body fat percentage, analyzed using multi-level linear regression.
Main Results:
- Prevalence of overweight and obesity in children was 20.9% and 17.2%, respectively.
- Maternal and paternal BMI, and birth weight were positively associated with children's BMI, body fat, and waist circumference.
- Breastfeeding duration did not show a significant association with any of the measured obesity indicators.
Conclusions:
- Maternal BMI and birth weight are significant predictors of childhood obesity indicators.
- The perinatal environment plays a critical role in the development of childhood obesity.
- Public health initiatives should consider parental obesity as a target for intervention to combat childhood obesity.
Background:
Childhood obesity is potentially affected by breastfeeding, parents' body mass index and birth weight. Thus, this study aimed to verify the association between breastfeeding, parents' body mass index and birth weight with obesity indicators in children.
Methods:
This is a cross-sectional study, including data from 402 schoolchildren between 9 and 11 of age in the city of São Caetano do Sul, Brazil. Parents or guardians answered a questionnaire about breastfeeding (month), birth weight (kg), and parental body weight and height (parents' body mass index [kg/m2] was calculated). Body mass index (kg/m2), waist circumference (cm) and body fat (%), determined via bio-impedance, were measured and used as obesity indicators. Multi-level linear regression models were used to assess the respective associations adjusted for the potential confounders.
Results:
Considering body mass index of children, the overall prevalence of eutrophic, overweight and obese were 58.2%, 20.9% and 17.2%, respectively. Significant and positive correlations were observed between breastfeeding, maternal as well as paternal body mass index and the children's body mass index, body fat and waist circumference. Birth weight was weakly and positively associated with body mass index and body fat but was not associated with waist circumference. After adjusting for school, sex, age, race/ethnicity, annual household income, sedentary time and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, maternal body mass index and birth weight were positively associated with children's body mass index (β: 0.228; 95%CI: 0.142; 0.314 and β: 0.001; 95%CI: 0.001; 0.002), body fat (β: 0.484; 95%CI: 0.297; 0.671 and β: 0.002; 95%CI: 0.001; 0.003) and waist circumference (β: 0.509; 95%CI: 0.304; 0.715 and β: 0.003; 95%CI: 0.001; 0.005). Breastfeeding was not associated with any obesity indicators.
Conclusion:
Maternal body mass index and birth weight were associated with children's obesity indicators. The perinatal environment, therefore, appears to be a critical contributor to childhood obesity and public policies need to address parental obesity in order to tackle childhood obesity.
Trial Registration:
The International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment (ISCOLE) is registered at (Identifier NCT01722500).
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