Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between breastfeeding and the prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome in a group of obese children and adolescents.
Material and methods: We performed a retrospective study in obese children and adolescents treated at the Endocrinology and Nutrition Service of the Hospital de Getafe (Madrid). The variables studied were age, sex, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-height ratio, blood pressure, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein and fasting glucose. Information was also collected on food received in the first months of life. Breastfeeding was defined as feeding with maternal milk for at least 3 months. The SPSS v.15 statistical package was used.
Results: A total of 126 patients with obesity were recruited (71 boys and 55 girls) with a mean age of 11.94 +/- 3.12 years. Of these, 117 (92.86%) were morbidly obese (BMI > 97th percentile for age and sex). All patients had a waist circumference > 90th percentile for age and sex. Of the 126 patients evaluated, 36.8% were breastfed for more than 3 months and 63.2% were fed with artificial milk only. Compared with patients fed with artificial milk, those who were breast fed had a lower BMI (31.53 +/- 5.77 vs 32.08 +/- 6.78) and lower waist circumference (95.02 +/- 3.4 vs. 95.69 +/- 3.2 cm), although this difference was not statistically significant. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the study population was 19.8%. Within this group, 64% had not been breast fed compared with 36% who had been fed with artificial milk.
Conclusions: Breast feeding for at least 3 months was associated with lower levels of obesity, smaller waist circumference and fewer complications related to metabolic syndrome in childhood and adolescence. Sixty-four percent of children with complete metabolic syndrome had received artificial feeding. Further studies are needed to ascertain the impact of breastfeeding on the development of obesity and cardiometabolic risk.