The Relationship Between Breastfeeding and Weight Status in a National Sample of Australian Children and Adolescents

Background: Breastfeeding has been shown consistently in observational studies to be protective of overweight and obesity in later life. This study aimed to investigate the association between breastfeeding duration and weight status in a national sample of Australian children and adolescents.Method...

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Main Authors: Scott, Jane, Ng, S., Cobiac, L.
Format: Journal Article
Published: BioMed Central Ltd 2012
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/12/107
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/16469
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author Scott, Jane
Ng, S.
Cobiac, L.
author_facet Scott, Jane
Ng, S.
Cobiac, L.
author_sort Scott, Jane
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Background: Breastfeeding has been shown consistently in observational studies to be protective of overweight and obesity in later life. This study aimed to investigate the association between breastfeeding duration and weight status in a national sample of Australian children and adolescents.Methods: A secondary analysis of the 2007 Australian National Children’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey data involving 2066, males and females aged 9 to 16 years from all Australian states and territories. The effect of breastfeeding duration on weight status was estimated using multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results: Compared to those who were never breastfed, children breastfed for =6 months were significantly less likely to be overweight (adjusted odds ratio: 0.64, 95%CI: 0.45, 0.91) or obese (adjusted odds ratio: 0.51, 95%CI: 0.29, 0.90) in later childhood, after adjustment for maternal characteristics (age, education and ethnicity) and children’s age, gender, mean energy intake, level of moderate and vigorous physical activity, screen time and sleep duration.Conclusions: Breastfeeding for 6 or more months appears to be protective against later overweight and obesity in this population of Australian children. The beneficial short-term health outcomes of breastfeeding for the infant are well recognised and this study provides further observational evidence of a potential long-term health outcome and additional justification for the continued support and promotion of breastfeeding to six months and beyond.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-164692017-02-28T01:26:46Z The Relationship Between Breastfeeding and Weight Status in a National Sample of Australian Children and Adolescents Scott, Jane Ng, S. Cobiac, L. Background: Breastfeeding has been shown consistently in observational studies to be protective of overweight and obesity in later life. This study aimed to investigate the association between breastfeeding duration and weight status in a national sample of Australian children and adolescents.Methods: A secondary analysis of the 2007 Australian National Children’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey data involving 2066, males and females aged 9 to 16 years from all Australian states and territories. The effect of breastfeeding duration on weight status was estimated using multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results: Compared to those who were never breastfed, children breastfed for =6 months were significantly less likely to be overweight (adjusted odds ratio: 0.64, 95%CI: 0.45, 0.91) or obese (adjusted odds ratio: 0.51, 95%CI: 0.29, 0.90) in later childhood, after adjustment for maternal characteristics (age, education and ethnicity) and children’s age, gender, mean energy intake, level of moderate and vigorous physical activity, screen time and sleep duration.Conclusions: Breastfeeding for 6 or more months appears to be protective against later overweight and obesity in this population of Australian children. The beneficial short-term health outcomes of breastfeeding for the infant are well recognised and this study provides further observational evidence of a potential long-term health outcome and additional justification for the continued support and promotion of breastfeeding to six months and beyond. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/16469 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/12/107 BioMed Central Ltd restricted
spellingShingle Scott, Jane
Ng, S.
Cobiac, L.
The Relationship Between Breastfeeding and Weight Status in a National Sample of Australian Children and Adolescents
title The Relationship Between Breastfeeding and Weight Status in a National Sample of Australian Children and Adolescents
title_full The Relationship Between Breastfeeding and Weight Status in a National Sample of Australian Children and Adolescents
title_fullStr The Relationship Between Breastfeeding and Weight Status in a National Sample of Australian Children and Adolescents
title_full_unstemmed The Relationship Between Breastfeeding and Weight Status in a National Sample of Australian Children and Adolescents
title_short The Relationship Between Breastfeeding and Weight Status in a National Sample of Australian Children and Adolescents
title_sort relationship between breastfeeding and weight status in a national sample of australian children and adolescents
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/12/107
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/16469