ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BREASTFEEDING AND OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY IN BULGARIAN CHILDREN AGED 3-6 YEARS

Abstract

Obesity has dramatically increased worldwide, and this is linked to lifestyle. Childhood overweight is a precursor to obesity in adulthood. The benefit of breastfeeding in infancy, especially in the first 6 months of life, has been proven, although with ambiguous conclusions from some authors. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between breastfeeding and frequency of overweight and obesity in kindergartners. The parents of 1116 kindergartens aged 3 to 6 in the city of Plovdiv were surveyed. Anthropometric measurements of height and weight and body mass index were determined according to WHO criteria, 2006. The results showed that 73.8% of the children were of normal body weight and the majority (74.1%) of the children had been breastfed during the first year of life. 75.8% of parents reported sufficient health knowledge. A statistically significant negative relationship was found between breastfeeding and the incidence of overweight children. In conclusion, breastfeeding is associated with low odds of overall obesity and high body fat in 3- to 6-year-old Bulgarian children. Greater health care and a high health culture towards promoting and supporting breastfeeding can benefit children and adolescents by reducing their chances of being overweight and obese.

Keywords

• breastfeeding
• overweight
• childhood
• health education