Association of gestational diabetes and breastfeeding on obesity prevalence in predominately Hispanic low-income youth

• Published in: Pediatric obesity 2015-06, Vol.10 (3), p.165-171
• Main Authors: Shearrer, G. E., Whaley, S. E., Miller, S. J., House, B. T., Held, T., Davis, J. N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Birth Weight; Body Mass Index; Breast Feeding - statistics & numerical data; Breastfeeding; Breastfeeding & lactation; Child; Childrens health; Diabetes; Diabetes, Gestational - epidemiology; Female; gestational diabetes mellitus; Hispanic Americans; Hispanic people; Humans; Infant; Logistic Models; Low income groups; Male; Obesity; Odds Ratio; Pediatric Obesity - epidemiology; Pediatric Obesity - etiology; Pediatric Obesity - prevention & control; Pediatrics; Poverty; Pregnancy; Prevalence
• ISSN: 2047-6302; 2047-6310
• DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.247

Summary Objective The goal of this study was to examine if breastfeeding duration by gestational diabetes mellitus status impacted the prevalence of obesity in offspring. Methods Data were obtained from a 2011 phone survey with caregivers of low‐income children (2–4 years) participating in the Women, Infants and Children programme in Los Angeles County. The final sample included 2295 children, 84% Hispanic and 48% female. Chi‐square and binary logistic regression were used to assess gestational diabetes status and breastfeeding duration on the prevalence of obesity, with the following a priori covariates: child's ethnicity, birth weight, age in months and sex. Results Breastfeeding and gestational diabetes were significantly associated with obesity prevalence (P  12 months of breastfeeding duration in the gestational diabetes mellitus group and any duration of breastfeeding in the non‐gestational diabetes mellitus mothers is needed to reduce obesity levels in a primarily Hispanic population.