Infant-feeding patterns and cardiovascular risk factors in young adulthood: data from five cohorts in low- and middle-income countries
Infant-feeding patterns and cardiovascular risk factors in young adulthood: data from five cohorts in low- and middle-income countries
Background: Infant-feeding patterns may influence lifelong health. This study tested the hypothesis that longer duration of breastfeeding and later introduction of complementary foods in infancy are associated with reduced adult cardiovascular risk.
Methods: Data were pooled from 10?912 subjects in the age range of 15-41?years from five prospective birth-cohort studies in low-/middle-income countries (Brazil, Guatemala, India, Philippines and South Africa). Associations were examined between infant feeding (duration of breastfeeding and age at introduction of complementary foods) and adult blood pressure (BP), plasma glucose concentration and adiposity (skinfolds, waist circumference, percentage body fat and overweight/obesity). Analyses were adjusted for maternal socio-economic status, education, age, smoking, race and urban/rural residence and infant birth weight.
Results: There were no differences in outcomes between adults who were ever breastfed compared with those who were never breastfed. Duration of breastfeeding was not associated with adult diabetes prevalence or adiposity. There were U-shaped associations between duration of breastfeeding and systolic BP and hypertension; however, these were weak and inconsistent among the cohorts. Later introduction of complementary foods was associated with lower adult adiposity. Body mass index changed by -0.19?kg/m(2) [95% confidence interval (CI) -0.37 to -0.01] and waist circumference by -0.45?cm (95% CI -0.88 to -0.02) per 3-month increase in age at introduction of complementary foods.
Conclusions: There was no evidence that longer duration of breastfeeding is protective against adult hypertension, diabetes or overweight/adiposity in these low-/middle-income populations. Further research is required to determine whether 'exclusive' breastfeeding may be protective. Delaying complementary foods until 6 months, as recommended by the World Health Organization, may reduce the risk of adult overweight/adiposity, but the effect is likely to be small.
infant feeding, breastfeeding, omplementary feeding, blood pressure, diabetes, body composition
Fall, Caroline H.D.
7171a105-34f5-4131-89d7-1aa639893b18
Borja, Judith B.
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Osmond, Clive
2677bf85-494f-4a78-adf8-580e1b8acb81
Richter, Linda
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Bhargava, Santosh K.
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Martorell, Reynaldo
d120786d-e651-446d-a96a-d175de202d5b
Stein, Aryeh D.
5ee08d0c-2313-4d74-bfcf-49e9bfabc36d
Barros, Fernando C.
2045a98e-ac82-4ce3-9f93-1c302da3492a
Victora, Cesar G.
14b4c4b5-c082-4ee8-9c07-4e575af03ebf
Fall, Caroline H.D.
7171a105-34f5-4131-89d7-1aa639893b18
Borja, Judith B.
56a72873-5451-4ff1-aa37-1b50c6c03552
Osmond, Clive
2677bf85-494f-4a78-adf8-580e1b8acb81
Richter, Linda
6f980560-60c1-4686-8aca-a7c313d8856d
Bhargava, Santosh K.
3932b4c9-c07d-472c-b54d-622306357475
Martorell, Reynaldo
d120786d-e651-446d-a96a-d175de202d5b
Stein, Aryeh D.
5ee08d0c-2313-4d74-bfcf-49e9bfabc36d
Barros, Fernando C.
2045a98e-ac82-4ce3-9f93-1c302da3492a
Victora, Cesar G.
14b4c4b5-c082-4ee8-9c07-4e575af03ebf
Fall, Caroline H.D., Borja, Judith B., Osmond, Clive, Richter, Linda, Bhargava, Santosh K., Martorell, Reynaldo, Stein, Aryeh D., Barros, Fernando C. and Victora, Cesar G.
,
The COHORTS group
(2010)
Infant-feeding patterns and cardiovascular risk factors in young adulthood: data from five cohorts in low- and middle-income countries.
International Journal of Epidemiology.
(doi:10.1093/ije/dyq155).
(PMID:20852257)
Abstract
Background: Infant-feeding patterns may influence lifelong health. This study tested the hypothesis that longer duration of breastfeeding and later introduction of complementary foods in infancy are associated with reduced adult cardiovascular risk.
Methods: Data were pooled from 10?912 subjects in the age range of 15-41?years from five prospective birth-cohort studies in low-/middle-income countries (Brazil, Guatemala, India, Philippines and South Africa). Associations were examined between infant feeding (duration of breastfeeding and age at introduction of complementary foods) and adult blood pressure (BP), plasma glucose concentration and adiposity (skinfolds, waist circumference, percentage body fat and overweight/obesity). Analyses were adjusted for maternal socio-economic status, education, age, smoking, race and urban/rural residence and infant birth weight.
Results: There were no differences in outcomes between adults who were ever breastfed compared with those who were never breastfed. Duration of breastfeeding was not associated with adult diabetes prevalence or adiposity. There were U-shaped associations between duration of breastfeeding and systolic BP and hypertension; however, these were weak and inconsistent among the cohorts. Later introduction of complementary foods was associated with lower adult adiposity. Body mass index changed by -0.19?kg/m(2) [95% confidence interval (CI) -0.37 to -0.01] and waist circumference by -0.45?cm (95% CI -0.88 to -0.02) per 3-month increase in age at introduction of complementary foods.
Conclusions: There was no evidence that longer duration of breastfeeding is protective against adult hypertension, diabetes or overweight/adiposity in these low-/middle-income populations. Further research is required to determine whether 'exclusive' breastfeeding may be protective. Delaying complementary foods until 6 months, as recommended by the World Health Organization, may reduce the risk of adult overweight/adiposity, but the effect is likely to be small.
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e-pub ahead of print date: 17 September 2010
Keywords:
infant feeding, breastfeeding, omplementary feeding, blood pressure, diabetes, body composition
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Local EPrints ID: 174637
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/174637
ISSN: 0300-5771
PURE UUID: e3b33df3-bbda-480e-b514-26a790987a8d
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Date deposited: 15 Feb 2011 13:51
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 02:39
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Contributors
Author:
Judith B. Borja
Author:
Linda Richter
Author:
Santosh K. Bhargava
Author:
Reynaldo Martorell
Author:
Aryeh D. Stein
Author:
Fernando C. Barros
Author:
Cesar G. Victora
Corporate Author: The COHORTS group
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