Breastfeeding is not associated with left cardiac structures and blood pressure during the first two years of life. The Generation R Study.
BACKGROUND
Shorter duration of breastfeeding in infancy has been suggested to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Early cardiovascular adaptations due to breastfeeding may explain these associations.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether breastfeeding affects left cardiac structures and blood pressure development in early childhood.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study from fetal life until the age of two years.


METHODS
Information about the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding was collected by questionnaires at the ages of 2, 6 and 12 months in 933 children.


METHODS
Left cardiac structures (left atrial diameter, aortic root diameter and left ventricular mass), fractional shortening and blood pressure at the ages of 1.5, 6 and 24 months.


RESULTS
No differences in cardiac structures, fractional shortening and blood pressure were observed between breastfed and non-breastfed children. Duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding were not consistently associated with any cardiac structure, fractional shortening, or blood pressure until the age of 24 months. Also, there was no association of breastfeeding with cardiac growth between 6 months and 24 months. All analyses were adjusted for child age and sex. Additional adjustment for child anthropometrics, maternal age, anthropometrics, family history, maternal cardiovascular risk factors, pregnancy or delivery complications, parity, socio-economic status, smoking status and alcohol consumption during pregnancy did not materially change the effect estimates.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results do not support the hypothesis that early postnatal cardiovascular adaptations underlie the previously shown associations between breastfeeding and cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Further studies are needed to investigate whether and at what age the associations appear.
de Jonge
Layla L
LL
The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
van Osch-Gevers
Lennie
L
Geelhoed
J J Miranda
JJ
Hofman
Albert
A
Steegers
Eric A P
EA
Helbing
Willem A
WA
Jaddoe
Vincent W V
VW
D001794:Blood Pressure; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology