Association of Breastfeeding Duration with Body Composition in Children Aged 3-5 Years
Li Ping Shen1, Xue Hong Pang2, Jie Wang2
1National Institution for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China;Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200336, China.
Insights
Breastfeeding duration showed no clear link to body mass index (BMI) or fat mass in children aged 3-5 years. However, differences in fat-free mass were observed in younger children based on breastfeeding status.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Body Composition Analysis
- Child Health Research
Background:
- Breastfeeding is crucial for infant development.
- Understanding its long-term effects on body composition is important for public health.
- Previous research has yielded mixed results on the association between breastfeeding and child body composition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between breastfeeding status and duration and the body composition of children aged 3-5 years.
- To analyze specific body composition parameters including fat-free mass and fat mass indicators.
- To adjust for potential confounding factors in the analysis.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the China National Nutrition and Health Systematic Survey (CNHSC).
- Employed a cross-sectional design with 2,008 preschool children.
- Measured body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis and analyzed data with multivariate linear regression.
Main Results:
- Ever-breastfed children aged 3 years had lower height-for-age (HAZ) and weight-for-age (WAZ) Z-scores compared to never-breastfed children.
- Fat-free mass was higher in 3-year-olds and lower in 4-year-olds who were breastfed compared to formula-fed peers.
- No significant associations were found between breastfeeding duration and BMI, fat mass, or fat-free mass index in children aged 3-5 years.
Conclusions:
- Breastfeeding status may influence early childhood fat-free mass, but not consistently across all ages.
- No clear association was identified between breastfeeding duration and body mass index or fat mass indicators.
- Further prospective studies are recommended to explore the complex relationship between breastfeeding and body composition.
Objective:
This study aimed to assess the relationship between the body composition of children aged 3-5 years and breastfeeding status and duration.
Methods:
The study was conducted using data from the National Nutrition and Health Systematic Survey for children 0-17 years of age in China (CNHSC), a nationwide cross-sectional study. Breastfeeding information and potential confounders were collected using standardized questionnaires administered through face-to-face interviews. The body composition of preschool children was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. A multivariate linear regression model was used to assess the relationship between breastfeeding duration and body composition after adjusting for potential confounders.
Results:
In total, 2,008 participants were included in the study. Of these, 89.2% were ever breastfed and the median duration of breastfeeding was 12 months (IQR 7-15 months). Among children aged 3 years, the height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) for the ever breastfed group was lower than that for never breastfed group (0.12 vs. 0.42, P = 0.043). In addition, the weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ) of the ever breastfed group was lower than that of the never breastfed group (0.31 vs. 0.65, P = 0.026), and the WAZ was lower in children aged 4 years who breastfed between 12 and 23 months than in those who never breastfed. Compared to the formula-fed children, the fat-free mass of breastfed infants was higher for children aged 3 years (12.84 kg vs. 12.52 kg, P = 0.015) and lower for those aged 4 years (14.31 kg vs. 14.64 kg, P = 0.048), but no difference was detected for children aged 5 years (16.40 kg vs. 16.42 kg, P = 0.910) after adjusting for potential confounders. No significant difference was detected in the weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ), body mass index (BMI)-for-age Z-score (BAZ), fat-free mass index, and body fat indicators in the ever breastfed and never breastfed groups and among various breastfeeding duration groups for children aged 3-5 years.
Conclusion:
No obvious associations were detected between breastfeeding duration, BMI, and fat mass indicators. Future prospective studies should explore the relationship between breastfeeding status and fat-free mass.
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