Early Breastfeeding Linked to Lower Risk of Childhood Obesity, Regardless of Mother’s Weight, Study Finds
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A new study published in Pediatrics found that breastfeeding infants for any duration during their first three months reduces the risk of childhood obesity, regardless of the mother’s pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI). While previous research has suggested that breastfeeding may help protect against obesity, this study specifically focused on women with obesity or overweight before pregnancy. The researchers aimed to explore how breastfeeding might affect a child’s BMIz score, a measure that compares a child’s weight and height to those of their peers.
The ECHO Cohort study found that consistent breastfeeding during the first three months of an infant’s life was linked to lower BMIz scores at ages 2 to 6, regardless of the mother’s pre-pregnancy BMI. The protective effect was stronger for children whose mothers had obesity (BMI of 30 or higher) compared to those whose mothers were overweight (BMI of 25-29.9).
The study, led by Gayle Shipp, Ph.D., RDN, found that each additional month of breastfeeding whether partial or exclusive could help lower a child’s weight later in childhood, particularly for mothers with obesity before pregnancy. The research included 8,134 mother-child pairs from 21 study sites across 16 states and Puerto Rico. It analyzed BMI and BMIz scores based on measurements from study visits, medical records, or self-reported data. The study also compared two breastfeeding scenarios: any breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months, considering both partial and exclusive breastfeeding durations.
The study found that exclusive breastfeeding at three months was linked to a lower child BMIz score only for mothers with a normal pre-pregnancy BMI. However, each additional month of any breastfeeding or exclusive breastfeeding was associated with a significantly lower child BMIz, especially for mothers who were overweight (with any breastfeeding) or had obesity (with any or exclusive breastfeeding) before pregnancy. Gayle Shipp emphasized that health professionals should use these findings to encourage breastfeeding, particularly among women with obesity.
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