Children born to mothers with diabetes during their pregnancy are more likely to be obese, but breast-feeding can reduce that risk, a new study indicates.
Colorado School of Public Health researchers tracked 94 children of diabetic mothers and 399 children of non-diabetic mothers until their teen years. What they found was children in both groups who were breast fed for six months or more were less likely to be overweight or obese than those who were not.
“There are critical perinatal periods for defining obesity risk, pregnancy and early infant life,” said lead researcher Tessa Crume, in a university release on the study’s findings. “Breast feeding support represents an important clinical and public health strategy to reduce the risk of childhood obesity."
Crume said she hopes the research will further encourage mothers to breast feed, especially those who experienced a diabetic pregnancy.
“We can work with pediatricians, obstetricians and the public health community to give these women targeted support immediately following birth,” she said.
The study was published online in the International Journal of Obesity.