Chronic disease and infant nutrition: is it significant to public health?
Public Health Nutr
; 14(2): 279-89, 2011 Feb.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-20624333
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
To assess the public health significance of premature weaning of infants from breast milk on later-life risk of chronic illness.DESIGN:
A review and summary of recent meta-analyses of studies linking premature weaning from breast milk with later-life chronic disease risk is presented followed by an estimation of the approximate exposure in a developed Western country, based on historical breast-feeding prevalence data for Australia since 1927. The population-attributable proportion of chronic disease associated with current patterns of artificial feeding in infancy is estimated.RESULTS:
After adjustment for major confounding variables, current research suggests that the risks of chronic disease are 30-200 % higher in those who were not breast-fed compared to those who were breast-fed in infancy. Exposure to premature weaning ranges from 20 % to 90 % in post-World War II age cohorts. Overall, the attributable proportion of chronic disease in the population is estimated at 6-24 % for a 30 % exposure to premature weaning.CONCLUSIONS:
Breast-feeding is of public health significance in preventing chronic disease. There is a small but consistent effect of premature weaning from breast milk in increasing later-life chronic disease risk. Risk exposure in the Australian population is substantial. Approximately 90 % of current 35-45-year-olds were weaned from breast-feeding by 6 months of age. Encouraging greater duration and exclusivity of breast-feeding is a potential avenue for reducing future chronic disease burden and health system costs.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Contexto em Saúde:
1_ASSA2030
/
2_ODS3
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Desmame
/
Aleitamento Materno
/
Saúde Pública
/
Doença Crônica
/
Fenômenos Fisiológicos da Nutrição do Lactente
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Aspecto:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Limite:
Female
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Humans
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Infant
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Male
/
Newborn
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Public Health Nutr
Ano de publicação:
2011
Tipo de documento:
Article