Abstract:
This non-experimental, quantitative study examined exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life as a risk reduction factor of childhood overweight and obesity up to three years of age in a population of children who participated in a state Special Supplementary Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). A literature review described the salient issues involved in childhood obesity, examined the conflicting results in determining the association between breastfeeding and a risk of developing childhood obesity, and supported the need for further study in at-risk populations. The pediatric nutrition surveillance system (PedNSS) offered access to linked, longitudinal data with which to explore this relationship within a sample of children at risk for early childhood obesity. The results of this research project indicated that the longer an infant exclusively breastfeeds, the lower their risk for overweight/obesity at three years of age regardless of other contributing factors. Results also indicated pre-gestational, gestational, and early childhood mechanisms are areas for interdisciplinary research to develop effective, preventative strategies and policies
