title: Breastfeeding influences on growth and health at one year of age.
abstract: Our aim was to determine whether a longer duration of full breastfeeding in early infancy acts positively upon health outcomes. Women participating in a birth cohort study in Perth, Australia were followed-up at regular intervals to 52 weeks. Infant feeding, socio-demographic and health-related data were collected. Infants fully breastfed for less than four weeks compared to infants fully breastfed for four weeks or longer had more health problems (odds ratio [OR] 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00, 2.08; P = 0.048), more doctor visits (OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.04, 2.33; P = 0.032) and poorer maternal rating of child health (OR 2.42; 95% CI 1.44, 4.06; P = 0.001) at four weeks. By 52 weeks, formula-fed infants were heavier (10138 g vs 9731 g, P = 0.041) and longer (75.6 cm vs 73.7 cm, P = 0.011). An adverse effect of formula milk on infant health and postnatal weight gain remains of public health relevance.
authors.affiliation: Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, PO Box 855, West Perth W.A 6872, Australia. wendyo@ichr.uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: Wendy H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Oddy
authors.forename: Jane A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Kathleen I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Colin W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Binns
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001724:Birth Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007229:Infant Welfare; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014904:Western Australia