title: Exclusive breastfeeding and other foods in the first six months of life: effects on nutritional status and body composition of Brazilian children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of exclusive breastfeeding and consumption of other foods in the first six months of life in the nutritional status and body composition of children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study with 185 children aged from 4 to 7 years was monitored during the first months of life in a program of support to breastfeeding. We evaluated weight, height, waist circumference, and body composition by using DEXA. The nutritional status was assessed by the BMI/age index. The parameters of adiposity were classified by using as the cutoff point, the 85th percentile of the sample itself, according to gender and age. Confounding factors considered were variables related to maternal, pregnancy, birth, sociodemographic, health, lifestyle, and diet. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed, the latter by means of multiple logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median exclusive breastfeeding was 3 months. Of the children, 42.7% received cow's milk and 35.7% received infant formula. Regarding nutritional status, 21.1% of the children showed changes. The variables of infant feeding were not independently associated with nutritional status and body composition of the children and there were no differences between the groups studied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Breastfeeding was not a protective factor to overweight and body fat in children.
authors.affiliation: Center of Biological Sciences and Health, Department of Nutrition and Health, Federal University of Viçosa, University Campus, Avenida P. H. Rolfs s/n, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brazil. taisnut@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Taís C A
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.forename: Sarah A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Silvia E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Priore
authors.forename: Andréia Q
authors.initials: AQ
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Joel A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lamounier
authors.forename: Sylvia C C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Franceschini
authors.forename: Luciana F R
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Sant'Ana
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000502:physiology