J Acad Nutr Diet. 2023 Jun 3:S2212-2672(23)00288-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2023.05.028. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding has been linked to a higher consumption of fruit and vegetables at 4 to 5 years of age. More recently, it has been suggested that it may also be associated with lower ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption in childhood.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess whether breastfeeding duration was associated with consumption of UPF in a sample of Mediterranean preschoolers.
DESIGN: This study involved a cross-sectional analysis of baseline information of children in the SENDO cohort. Children were enrolled at 4 to 5 years of age and information was gathered through an online questionnaire completed by parents. Dietary information was collected with a previously validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and foods were classified based on the degree of processing according to the NOVA classification.
PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: This study used baseline information for 806 participants enrolled in the SENDO cohort between January 2015 and June 2021 in Spain.
MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Main study outcome measures were 1) Difference in g/day and in the percentage of total energy intake (TEI) from UPF consumption related to breastfeeding duration, and 2) Odds ratio (OR) that UPF represents a high percentage of TEI.
STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Crude and multivariable adjusted estimates were calculated with generalized estimating equations to account for intra-cluster correlation between siblings.
RESULTS: The prevalence of breastfeeding in the sample was 84%. After adjusting for potential confounders, children who were breastfed for some time reported significantly lower consumption of UPF than children who were not breastfed at all. The mean differences were -19.2 g. (95% CI: -44.2, 10.8) for children who were breastfed for <6 months, -42.5 g. (95% CI: -77.2, -7.80) for those who were breastfed for 6-12 months, and -43.6 g. (95% CI: -79.8, -7.48) for those who were breastfed for 12 months or more (p for trend=0.01). After adjusting for potential confounders, compared with children who were not breastfed, those who were breastfed for ≥12 months had consistently lower odds of UPF representing more than 25%, 30%, 35% and 40% of TEI.
CONCLUSION: Breastfeeding is associated with lower consumption of UPF in Spanish preschoolers.
PMID:37276962 | DOI:10.1016/j.jand.2023.05.028
