Breastfeeding (BF) has been identified as a protective factor against childhood obesity. However, evidence of the association between BF duration and adiposity remains inconclusive. Few studies have been conducted among Southeast Asian infants that have measured body composition during infancy using the gold standard stable isotope method. This study aimed to evaluate the association between BF duration and body composition during infancy. Healthy full-term Thai infants aged 6-8 months (n = 60) receiving exclusive or predominant BF for at least 3 months were recruited. Skinfold thickness (SFT) was measured by well-trained investigators. Body composition was assessed by the deuterium dilution technique. Infants with longer BF duration (>6 months; mean 7.5 ± 0.5 months, n = 29) had a higher subscapular SFT z-score than those with shorter BF duration (≤6 months; mean 5.3± 0.9 months, n = 31) by 0.48 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.01-0.94). After adjustment for age and sex, BF duration and age at introduction of complementary feeding (CF) were positively associated with fat mass and fat mass index at 6-8 months. One month increase in BF duration and CF age was associated with a 0.37 (95% CI: 0.05, 0.69) kg/m2 and 0.76 (95% CI: 0.18, 1.34) kg/m2 increase in the fat mass index, respectively. After adjusting for infant body mass index (BMI) during the earlier infancy period, the strength of the association was attenuated. This finding may reflect reverse causality where infants with lower BMI received formula or CF earlier. A longitudinal study with follow-up into childhood is warranted to confirm the effects of BF on adiposity in infancy and childhood.
Keywords: adiposity; body composition; breastfeeding; complementary feeding; deuterium; fat mass; lean mass; obesity.
© 2022 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.