Breastfeeding during the first 6 months of life, adiposity rebound and overweight/obesity at 8 years of age.
BACKGROUND
The question of whether breastfeeding protects the child from obesity is a still debated issue; however, the relationship between early adiposity rebound and higher risk of obesity is well known. This study was aimed at evaluating whether breastfeeding (without formula supplement) during the first 6 months of life delays the time of adiposity rebound and consequently reduces the rates of obesity at the age of 8.


METHODS
This retrospective cohort study included 1812 children born in Gran Canaria in 2004, with follow-up until they were 8 years of age. Anthropometrical data had been taken during routine visits to the doctor and were extracted from medical record databases. Only children with breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life (173 children) and children without breastfeeding (192 children) were included. Children with mixed feeding and children whose data were not available were excluded.


RESULTS
No body mass index (BMI) differences were found between children with breastfeeding (17.7) or without breastfeeding (17.3) during the first 6 months of life. The percentages of children with normal weight, overweight and obesity were similar in both groups, as well as the age of adiposity rebound breastfeeding 3.61 years; formula 3.64 years). Early adiposity rebound was associated with increased BMI at the age of 8, both in male and female children.


CONCLUSIONS
Breastfeeding during the first 6 months of life was not demonstrated to delay the age of the adiposity rebound, in our study.
Department of Nursing, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain.
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MD
Estévez-González
Department of Mathematics, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain.
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A
Santana Del Pino
Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain.
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P
Henríquez-Sánchez
Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain.|Unit of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil, Las Palmas, Spain.|CIBER OBN, Spain.
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L
Peña-Quintana
Department of Mathematics, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain.
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P
Saavedra-Santana
D050154:Adiposity; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D015430:Weight Gain