Research and analysis
Small area associations between breastfeeding and obesity
Experimental analysis of the relationships between breastfeeding and child and maternal weight at small geographical area level.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
Analyses of breastfeeding and child and maternal weight status, using routinely collected administrative data. The analysis looks at:
- the relationships between breastfeeding and child weight at ages 4 to 5 and maternal weight later in life at small geographical area level (middle super output areas)
- identifying any association between the proportion of babies receiving breastmilk and children who were living with obesity or overweight at ages 4 to 5
- identifying any association between the proportion of babies receiving breastmilk and mothers living with obesity or overweight in a subsequent pregnancy
Various other factors which may influence the relationships, such as deprivation and maternal health behaviours, were taken into account.
There are significant limitations with these analyses, including the limitations of breastfeeding recording and the availability of suitable data.
The findings can inform policy and decision-makers looking at public health improvement and disease prevention.