COPH Faculty, Student, and Alumna Publish Article on Childhood Obesity

Dr. Liang Wang, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, along with MPH alumnus Melanie Ratliff and doctoral student Candice Collins, have published an article in the journal Childhood Obesity. The article, “Breastfeeding Reduces Childhood Obesity Risks”, was co-authored by Dr. Xie Bin, Claremont Graduate University, and Dr. Youfa Wang, Ball State University.

Longitudinal data from a cohort of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development was used in this article. The main aim of the study was to examine how early child care experiences affect development from infancy to adolescence.

The article emphasizes that the prevalence of breastfeeding was low during the 1990s. The authors found that nonsmoking, white, married mothers with both parents in the household, and with income above the poverty line, were more likely to be breastfeeding their children at one month of age.

The authors also examined the effects of breastfeeding at one month and six months of age on the overweight and obese status of children at various ages beginning with 24 months through sixth grade. Breastfeeding at one month of age was associated with a 53% and a 47% decreased risks for childhood obesity at grades one and six, respectively. Analysis also showed that breastfeeding at one month of age reduced risk for childhood obesity by 36% from ages 24 months through grade 6. Regarding breastfeeding duration, more than 6 months was associated with a decreased risk for childhood obesity by 42%.

Findings highlight the need to promote breastfeeding as a prevention for childhood obesity.  The article was featured on the Briefings in Childhood Obesity webpage.