Age at adiposity rebound and body mass index trajectory from early childhood to adolescence; differences by breastfeeding and maternal immigration background

Abstract

Objective: This paper aims to assess association between breastfeeding and maternal immigration background and body mass index development trajectories from age 2 to 16 years.

Methods: A cohort of children born in Stockholm during 1994 to 1996 was followed from age 2 to 16 years with repeated measurement of height and weight at eight time points (n = 2278). Children were categorized into groups by breastfeeding status during the first 6 months of life and maternal immigration background. Body mass index (BMI) trajectories and age at adiposity rebound were estimated using mixed-effects linear models.

Results: Body mass index trajectories were different by breastfeeding and maternal immigration status (P-value < 0.0001). Compared with exclusively breastfed counterparts, never/short breastfed children of Swedish mothers had a higher BMI trajectory, whereas never/short breastfed children of immigrant mothers followed a lower BMI trajectory. Ages at adiposity rebound were earlier for higher BMI trajectories regardless of maternal immigration background.

Conclusion: Differences in BMI trajectories between offspring of immigrant and of Swedish mothers suggest a lack of beneficial association between breastfeeding and long-term BMI development among children of immigrant mothers. Given the relation between long-term BMI development and risk of overweight/obesity, these differences challenge the notion that exclusive breastfeeding is always beneficial for children's BMI development and subsequent risk of overweight/obesity.

Keywords: Age at adiposity rebound; BMI trajectory; breastfeeding; immigration.