Gestational weight gain and breastfeeding practices in relation to offspring body mass index among Amazonian young
Paola Soledad Mosquera1, Eduardo Villamor2, Maíra Barreto Malta1
1Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Insights
Excessive gestational weight gain and breastfeeding for less than one year are linked to higher childhood body mass index. These early life factors impact long-term child health and development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Maternal-Child Health
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern with long-term health implications.
- Early life factors, including maternal weight gain during pregnancy and infant feeding practices, significantly influence offspring's growth trajectory.
- Understanding these associations is crucial for developing effective interventions to prevent childhood obesity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) and breastfeeding (BF) practices with the body mass index-for-age z-score (zBMI) in 2-year-old children.
- To analyze the impact of exclusive breastfeeding duration on offspring's zBMI.
- To identify modifiable risk factors in early life that contribute to childhood adiposity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 743 young children in the MINA-Brazil population-based birth cohort study.
- Employed linear regression models to assess the relationship between GWG, BF practices (exclusive breastfeeding <3 months, BF <1 year), and zBMI at age 2.
- Controlled for relevant covariates to isolate the effects of GWG and BF.
Main Results:
- Excessive GWG was associated with a 0.24 unit higher zBMI (95% CI: 0.08, 0.41) at age 2.
- Breastfeeding for less than one year was associated with a 0.28 unit higher zBMI (95% CI: 0.12, 0.44) at age 2.
- Exclusive breastfeeding for less than 3 months showed a trend towards higher zBMI, though not statistically significant in this analysis.
Conclusions:
- Excessive weight gain during pregnancy and shorter breastfeeding duration (<1 year) are significant risk factors for elevated body mass index in early childhood.
- These findings underscore the importance of promoting healthy gestational weight gain and adequate breastfeeding duration for long-term child health.
- Interventions targeting maternal health during pregnancy and supporting breastfeeding are essential for preventing childhood obesity in the Amazonian population.
Objective:
Excessive weight gain during childhood has been considered an early life risk factor for chronic disease in the long term. We examined the role of excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) and breastfeeding (BF) practices with the offspring's body mass index-for-age z-score (zBMI) at 2 years.
Methods:
Data from 743 Amazonian young children of the MINA-Brazil population-based birth cohort study were used. Linear regression models were run to estimate the associations between excessive GWG and BF practices (exclusive breastfeeding, EBF <3 months of age and BF <1 year) with zBMI.
Results:
Excessive GWG and BF <1 year were associated with an adjusted 0.24 units (95% CI: 0.08, 0.41) and 0.28 units (95% CI: 0.12, 0.44) higher zBMI at age 2 years, respectively.
Conclusions:
Gain excessive weight during pregnancy and shorter BF duration (<1y) were associated with a higher body mass index at 2 years of age among Brazilian Amazonian children.
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