Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2025
09:36
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
27.2K
Obesity during Adolescence and Feeding Practices during Infancy: Cross-Sectional Study
Reem Sharaf-Alddin1, Radhia Almathkoori2, Hara Kostakis3
1CONRAD, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.
Epidemiologia (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 28, 2023
Summary
Breastfeeding in infancy showed no significant link to adolescent obesity in Kuwait, despite high obesity rates. Continued encouragement of breastfeeding is vital for infant and maternal health benefits.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Kuwait faces a severe childhood obesity crisis, with 45% of adolescents overweight or obese.
- Breastfeeding rates in Kuwait are notably low, especially exclusive breastfeeding.
- Limited research exists on the breastfeeding-obesity link in the Middle East.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of overweight/obesity among female adolescents in Kuwait.
- To investigate the association between infant breastfeeding practices and adolescent overweight/obesity.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 775 high school girls in Kuwait.
- Assessed breastfeeding in the first four months as the primary exposure.
- Utilized multivariable logistic regression to analyze the relationship with adolescent overweight/obesity, controlling for confounders.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of overweight/obesity among adolescent girls was approximately 45%.
- No statistically significant association was found between any form of breastfeeding (exclusive, mixed, or none) and adolescent overweight/obesity in univariable or multivariable analyses.
- Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios did not indicate a protective effect of breastfeeding against obesity.
Conclusions:
- Infant breastfeeding was not significantly associated with overweight/obesity in Kuwaiti adolescent girls.
- Despite the lack of a significant association in this study, breastfeeding is strongly recommended for its established health benefits.
- Further prospective research is necessary to fully understand the long-term relationship between breastfeeding and obesity in this population.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Obesity
559
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...
559
01:30Bulimia Nervosa
172
Bulimia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by a cyclical pattern of binge-and-purge eating pattern. It generally involves an episode of binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use, or fasting, to prevent weight gain. Despite often maintaining a normal weight, individuals with bulimia are intensely preoccupied with their body image and harbor an overwhelming fear of gaining weight. This can contribute to the...
172
01:50Cross-Sectional Research
11.4K
In cross-sectional research, a researcher compares multiple segments of the population at the same time. If they were interested in people's dietary habits, the researcher might directly compare different groups of people by age. Instead of following a group of people for 20 years to see how their dietary habits changed from decade to decade, the researcher would study a group of 20-year-old individuals and compare them to a group of 30-year-old individuals and a group of 40-year-old...
11.4K
01:23Binge Eating Disorders
151
Binge eating disorder is a significant mental health condition characterized by recurrent episodes of excessive food consumption within a short period, accompanied by a perceived loss of control over eating behavior. Unlike occasional overeating, binge eating disorder is marked by distressing emotions such as guilt, shame, and anxiety following binge episodes. The disorder affects individuals across different ages and backgrounds, with profound implications for physical and psychological...
151
01:11Observational Studies
8.8K
Observational studies are a type of analytical study where researchers observe events without any interventions. In other words, the researcher does not influence the response variable or the experiment's outcome.
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One...
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One...
8.8K
01:30Regulation of Food Intake
303
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
303