Association of Breastfeeding Duration with Body Composition in Children Aged 3-5 Years.
- Author:
Li Ping SHEN
1
;
Xue Hong PANG
2
;
Jie WANG
2
;
Yi Fan DUAN
2
;
Qian ZHANG
2
;
Yu Ying WANG
2
;
Bo Wen CHEN
3
;
Tao XU
4
;
Wen Hua ZHAO
2
;
Zhen Yu YANG
2
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords: Bioelectrical impedance analysis; Body composition; Breastfeeding; Breastfeeding duration; Pre-school children
- MeSH: Infant; Female; Child, Preschool; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Child; Adolescent; Breast Feeding; Prospective Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Body Mass Index; Body Composition
- From: Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2023;36(7):569-584
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to assess the relationship between the body composition of children aged 3-5 years and breastfeeding status and duration.
METHODS:The study was conducted using data from the National Nutrition and Health Systematic Survey for children 0-17 years of age in China (CNHSC), a nationwide cross-sectional study. Breastfeeding information and potential confounders were collected using standardized questionnaires administered through face-to-face interviews. The body composition of preschool children was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. A multivariate linear regression model was used to assess the relationship between breastfeeding duration and body composition after adjusting for potential confounders.
RESULTS:In total, 2,008 participants were included in the study. Of these, 89.2% were ever breastfed and the median duration of breastfeeding was 12 months (IQR 7-15 months). Among children aged 3 years, the height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) for the ever breastfed group was lower than that for never breastfed group (0.12 vs. 0.42, P = 0.043). In addition, the weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ) of the ever breastfed group was lower than that of the never breastfed group (0.31 vs. 0.65, P = 0.026), and the WAZ was lower in children aged 4 years who breastfed between 12 and 23 months than in those who never breastfed. Compared to the formula-fed children, the fat-free mass of breastfed infants was higher for children aged 3 years (12.84 kg vs. 12.52 kg, P = 0.015) and lower for those aged 4 years (14.31 kg vs. 14.64 kg, P = 0.048), but no difference was detected for children aged 5 years (16.40 kg vs. 16.42 kg, P = 0.910) after adjusting for potential confounders. No significant difference was detected in the weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ), body mass index (BMI)-for-age Z-score (BAZ), fat-free mass index, and body fat indicators in the ever breastfed and never breastfed groups and among various breastfeeding duration groups for children aged 3-5 years.
CONCLUSION:No obvious associations were detected between breastfeeding duration, BMI, and fat mass indicators. Future prospective studies should explore the relationship between breastfeeding status and fat-free mass.
