Prevalence of non-communicable diseases and duration of breastfeeding in children under 14 years of age: a nationwide community-based cross-sectional study.

Abstract

It's a well-established fact that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) originating in childhood contribute significantly to long-term morbidity. While breastfeeding is a known protective factor for various health outcomes, limited national-level data exist linking breastfeeding duration to chronic pediatric conditions. The study aims to assess the prevalence of key pediatric NCDs and examine the association between breastfeeding duration and the risk of heart disease, diabetes mellitus (DM), musculoskeletal disorders, cancer, and mental health problems in a weighted sample of children aged 0-14 years in Türkiye. This community-based cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2022 Türkiye Health Survey microdata, including 4229 children and representing a weighted national pediatric population of 15,725,436. Breastfeeding duration was categorized as 0-5, 6-12, 13-23, and ≥ 24 months. Weighted prevalence estimates were calculated for each NCD, and multivariable logistic regression models-adjusted for age, sex, maternal education, household income, and kindergarten attendance-were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the breastfeeding categories and NCD outcomes. The weighted prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, mental health conditions, heart disease, DM, and cancer was 1.39% (1.02-1.76), 1.21% (0.86-1.56), 1.19% (0.85-1.53), 0.26% (0.10-0.42), and 0.05% (0.01-0.12), respectively. Cancer prevalence was higher in boys than girls (93.9% vs. 6.1%, p = 0.004), and musculoskeletal and mental health conditions increased with age (p = 0.031 and p = 0.017). In adjusted analyses, breastfeeding for 6-12 months (aOR = 0.347, 95% CI 0.137-0.876, p = 0.025) and 13-23 months (aOR = 0.335, 95% CI 0.143-0.786, p = 0.012) was associated with lower odds of musculoskeletal disorders compared with 0-5 months. No significant associations were observed for heart disease, DM, and mental health disorders.

Conclusions: The findings of this large-scale population-based study indicate that moderate breastfeeding duration (6-23 months) was associated with lower odds of pediatric musculoskeletal disorders but showed no association with other NCDs. Policy interventions should prioritize breastfeeding support and education to mitigate the future burden of chronic diseases beginning in childhood.

What is known: • Breastfeeding supports early childhood development and protects against infections. • Its long-term effects on chronic diseases in children are less well understood.

What is new: • Breastfeeding for 6-23 months was significantly associated with lower odds of musculoskeletal disorders in children, while no associations were observed for heart disease, DM, or mental health disorders. • The findings highlight a selective protective association between moderate breastfeeding duration and specific pediatric health outcomes, warranting further longitudinal investigation.