Breastfeeding duration and nutritional status of infants and toddlers in Spain. LAyDI study (PAPenRed)

Introduction

Breastfeeding appears to protect the onset of obesity in infants. The aim is to know whether breastfeeding duration is associated with the risk of obesity in infants and toddlers aged 12 and 24 months.

Material and methods

Prospective longitudinal study in a cohort of children born in Spain between April 2017 and March 2018 (LAyDI study) in the paediatric primary care system conducted in the framework of the PAPenRed research network. Analysis of breastfeeding duration (group 1: fewer than 6 months; group: more than 6 months) and its association with anthropometric variables.

Results

A total of 1495 patients attended the 12 months preventive child health visit and 1073 patients the 24 months visit. We found a statistically significant association between breastfeeding duration and weight-for-age, BMI-for-age and weight-for-length/height at 12 and 24 months; breastfeeding duration of less than 6 months was significantly associated with overweight and obesity (based on BMI-for-age and weight-for-length/height) at ages 12 and 24 months. Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI acted as a modifier on the association between breastfeeding duration and overweight and obesity (based on BMI-for-age).

Conclusions

A breastfeeding duration of less than 6 months is associated with a higher percentage of overweight and obesity at ages 12 and 24 months, although maternal pre-pregnancy BMI modifies this relationship at 24 months.