Association between duration of breastfeeding and subsequent overweight and obesity in female adolescents
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Abstract
To prevent obesity, it is necessary to identify its determinants in the community. This study aimed to assess the relationship between duration of breast feeding and obesity among adolescents in Najafabad, Isfahan.
Method and material: In this cross-sectional study, data was collected for 550 female adolescents aged 15-18 years selected by multistage cluster random sampling method from Najafabad high schools. Anthropometric measures were done and BMI was calculated. Additional information about duration of breast feeding and other required variables were collected using questionnaires. Overweight and obesity was defined using TOTF cut-point.
Result: Mean (± SD) duration of breast feeding among adolescent was 19.7±8.1 month. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 20.5% and 6%, respectively. Breast feeding with out considering its duration was significantly associated with reduced risk of obesity (25.8% for breast feed adolescent vs. 50% for non- breast feed adolescent P= 0.02). No significant association was found between duration of breast feeding and either overweight or obesity in this population r= -0.007, P=0.87.
Conclusion: Our finding indicated that breast feeding might be protectively associated with obesity; However, we found no association of duration of breast feeding with either overweight or obesity in this population
