This is the abstract of a paper in this week's journal:

Breast feeding seems to reduce the risk of obesity in children

Obesity in childhood increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood.
Weight loss interventions in children are costly and often do not have
satisfactory results. On p 147 von Kries et al report their findings on the
relation between childhood obesity and breast feeding. Using data from 9357 of
the 134 577 children examined for the 1997 school entry health examination in
Bavaria, they found that the risk of obesity at age 5 or 6 years could be
reduced by 35% if children were exclusively breast fed for 3 to 5 months. The
risk can be reduced even further if children are breast fed for longer than 5
months. Preventing childhood obesity and its consequences may be important
arguments in the drive to promote breast feeding in industrialised countries.

Magda Sachs
Breastfeeding Supporter, BfN, UK

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