The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 120, Issue 3 , Pages 551-556, September 2007

The relationship of breast-feeding, overweight, and asthma in preadolescents

  • Xiao-Mei Mai, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    • Department of Pediatrics and Child Health and the Manitoba Institute of Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    • ,
  • Allan B. Becker, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics and Child Health and the Manitoba Institute of Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    • ,
  • Elizabeth A.C. Sellers, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics and Child Health and the Manitoba Institute of Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    • ,
  • Joel J. Liem, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics and Child Health and the Manitoba Institute of Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    • ,
  • Anita L. Kozyrskyj, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    • Department of Pediatrics and Child Health and the Manitoba Institute of Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    • Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Anita L. Kozyrskyj, PhD, 210 Pharmacy Bldg, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3T 2N2.

Received 15 May 2006; received in revised form 30 April 2007; accepted 1 May 2007. published online 22 June 2007.

Background

Breast-feeding is suggested to be associated with overweight or asthma in children. Overweight and asthma may share common environmental influences of which breast-feeding may be one.

Objective

We evaluated whether short duration of exclusive breast-feeding and subsequent overweight were associated with asthma.

Methods

A nested case-control study included 246 children with pediatric allergist–diagnosed asthma and 477 controls without asthma at age 8 to 10 years. Information on exclusive breast-feeding was obtained from questionnaire data. Overweight at 8 to 10 years of age was defined as body mass index ≥85th percentile of age and sex-specific growth charts. The association between asthma and exclusive breast-feeding <12 weeks plus overweight, adjusted for sex, parental asthma, aboriginal origin, passive smoking at birth, residence location, and family income, was determined in logistic regression analyses.

Results

Exclusive breast-feeding <12 weeks was closely associated with overweight at age 8 to 10 years (P < .001). Exclusive breast-feeding <12 weeks plus overweight was significantly associated with asthma (adjusted OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.11-2.95; P = .018). This association appeared to be strong in children whose mothers had asthma (adjusted OR, 3.93; 95% CI, 1.17-13.2) and also in boys (adjusted OR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.14-4.34). Asthma was not associated with either exclusive breast-feeding <12 weeks or overweight in the absence of the other.

Conclusion

Short duration of exclusive breast-feeding and subsequent overweight are associated with asthma in susceptible children, suggesting a common pathway.

Clinical implications

This finding adds to the importance of promoting prolonged breast-feeding for the prevention of overweight and asthma.

Key words: Asthma, breast-feeding, case-control studies, sex, heredity, leptin, overweight, preadolescent

Abbreviation used: OR, Odds ratio

 

 Supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, AllerGen NCE Inc, the National Training Program in Asthma and Allergy, and the Manitoba Institute of Child Health. Dr Mai is the recipient of a postdoctoral fellowship award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

 Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: The authors have declared that they have no conflict of interest.

PII: S0091-6749(07)00946-3

doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2007.05.004

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 120, Issue 3 , Pages 551-556, September 2007

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