title: Effect of Pattern and Duration of Breastfeeding on the Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables among Preschool Children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The duration and pattern of breastfeeding can influence the consumption of fruits and vegetables in later childhood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between pattern and duration of breastfeeding and consumption of fruits and vegetables in children aged between 4 and 7 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a secondary analysis using data from a former randomized clinical trial with 323 adolescent mothers, their children, and maternal grandmothers, when they cohabited. Information on infant feeding was collected monthly during the first 6 months of life, every two months until the child was 1 year old over and when children were between 4 and 7 years old. The associations between duration of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding and consumption of fruits and vegetables were tested by a logistic regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 60% and 45% of children consumed fruits and vegetables, respectively, five or more times a week. Consumption of vegetables among 4-7-year-old children was higher in children who were breastfed for 12 months or longer (OR 2.7; 95%CI 1.49-4.93); however, exclusive breastfeeding duration did not have a significant association with consumption of vegetables (OR 1.5; 95%CI 0.70-3.04). There was no association between weekly consumption of fruits and duration of breastfeeding (OR 1.3; 95%CI 0.71-2.30) or exclusive breastfeeding (OR 0.7; 95%CI 0.34-1.44).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Longer duration of breastfeeding was positively associated with consumption of vegetables in children aged 4-7 years; however, there was no association with consumption of fruits. Exclusive breastfeeding duration did not have influence on consumption of fruits or vegetables.
authors: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors: Betina
authors: B
authors: Soldateli
authors: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors: Alvaro
authors: A
authors: Vigo
authors: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors: Elsa Regina Justo
authors: ER
authors: Giugliani
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables