Breastfeeding attenuates the effect of low birthweight on abdominal adiposity in adolescents: the HELENA study.

The aim of this study was to examine whether breastfeeding may reduce the programming effect of birthweight on abdominal adiposity. Abdominal (in three regions: R1, R2 and R3) adiposity was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry in 314 adolescents. Breastfeeding duration, birthweight, duration of gestation and maternal educational level were obtained from questionnaire. Physical activity was objectively measured. We detected significant interactions between breastfeeding and birthweight on abdominal adiposity (Ps = 0.02-0.07). We observed that birthweight was associated with abdominal adiposity in the group who had never been breastfed (β = -0.19 to -0.23; Ps < 0.05), while no association was found in adolescents who had breastfeeding for ≥3 months (β = -0.03 to -0.07). The results were independent of duration of gestation, age, sex, maternal educational level and physical activity. Breastfeeding may reduce the adverse influence conferred by low birthweight on abdominal adiposity in adolescents.