Can babies with exclusive breastfeeding for first few months of their life verses formula fed babies have reduced rate of overeating and obesity later in their life

Breastfeeding and Obesity The case research study to be summarised was retrieved from MEDLINE database using searchwords “ breastfeeding” “ obesity” “ overweight” “ formula” and “ nursing.” It is a quantitative study on obesity with data obtained from breastfeeding mothers. The participants were studied for a period of 12 years.
Breastfeeding has been found to be beneficial to the baby in preventing viral and bacterial infections and many other infections. It is recommended to breastfeed for the first one year of an infant’s life. In this study, Michels et al. (2007) investigated 35, 526 mothers who were mailed questionnaires between 1989 and 2001 who would give the shape of bodies of the study infants at 5 and 10 and their weights at 18 in relation to their heights. According to these researchers, a body mass index, BMI of 25kg/m2 or greater is prove of overweight while that of 30kg/m2 is prove of obesity. Those breastfed for at least six months had 0. 94 probability of obesity. Such infants would have leaner bodies at 5 as opposed to those breastfed for less than a week. This association was inconsistent in adolescence and adulthood. Therefore, this study found that breastfed women were leaner than formula fed women in their early years but the results were inconsistent in adulthood. Childhood obesity increases the risk of obesity in adulthood hence the direct correlation with breastfeeding. Breastfeeding for the recommended period should hence be observed.
The findings of this study resemble previous studies by other researchers on the direct relationship between breastfeeding and obesity in later lives of infants. The shortcoming of the study was in neglecting other factors such as genetic, multi-factorial or behavioural factors or a result of sedentary lifestyle. It only acknowledged the influence of secular trends on infant feeding. The study was carried on women only hence its failure to prove the consistency of the results on men.
Therefore, breastfeeding helps avert obesity in later life of an infant as compared to use of formula-feeding. However, beyond adolescence, there is no significant difference that could be pointed in weight between those who breastfed and formula-fed. Hence, the recommendation for one-year breastfeeding for infants during their early years should be upheld.
Reference
Michels, K. B., Willet, W. C., Graubard, B. I., Vaidya, R. L., Cantwell, M. M., Sansbury, L. B., & Forman, M. R. (2007). A Longitudinal Study of Infant Feeding and ObesityThroughout Life Course. International Journal of Obesity. 31, 1078 – 85.