Breastfeeding and decreased risk for childhood obesity
Abstract
Background Breast milk promotes infant growth and appropriateweight gain, minimizing the risk for malnutrition, and possibly
for obesity.
Objective To determine the influence of infant breastfeeding
practices on the risk for obesity in children aged 6 to 8 years.
Methods We conducted a case-control study comparing
breastfeeding practices between obese and non-obese children.
Subjects were selected from two elementary schools in Yogyakarta.
Case subjects had body mass index (BMI)-for-age <::: + 2 SD
(WHO 2007 growth reference curve). Control subjects had BMIfor-
age SD between-2and+1 SD, and were matched for age and
gender to the case subjects. Subjects' mothers filled questionnaires
on their breastfeeding practices.
Results We recruited 68 pairs of obese and non-obese subjects,
4 7 (69%) pairs of boys and 21 (31 %) pairs of girls. The mean
duration of breastfeeding in the obese group was shorter than
that of the non-obese group, 12.9 months (SD 9.78) vs. 16.1
months (8.39), respectively, a mean difference of 3.24 months
(95% CI 0.14 to 6.32). Partially breastfed and formula-fed children
had significantly higher odds for obesity compared to that of
exclusively breastfed children, OR4.70 (95% CI 3.96 to 5.43) for
partial breastfeeding and 6.20 (95% CI 4.67 to 7.73) for formula
feeding. The risk for obesity also declined with longer durations
of breastfeeding.
Conclusion Exclusive infant breastfeeding and longer duration
of breastfeeding lowered the risk for childhood obesity in children
aged 6-8 years. [Paediatr lndones. 2012;52: 1-5].
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Accepted 2016-08-21
Published 2012-03-30