Infant feeding practices and risk of preschool obesity in AlAin, UAE: A cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT: Early childhood obesity is serious public health problem, and poses a risk of obesity in later life. The study aimed to investigate whether infant feeding affects risk of overweight and obesity in preschool children in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A cross-sectional study was carried out. Data was collected in a kindergarten in Al Ain, UAE. One hundred and fifty parents and preschool children aged 2 to 6 years participated in the study. Univariate and multivariate linear regression were used to investigate associations. A longer duration of breastfeeding and later introduction of complementary foods were associated with a lower BMI z-score in preschool children. Each month of any breastfeeding was associated with a lower BMI z-score in the unadjusted model (β = -0.03; 95% CI -0.05, -0.01

SUBMITTER: AlTarrah D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10852324 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature