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Breast-feeding reduces type 1 diabetes risk in children
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Any breast-feeding for at least 12 months or full breast-feeding for at least 6 months decreases a child’s risk for developing type 1 diabetes compared with no breast-feeding, according to findings published in Diabetes Care.
Nicolai A. Lund-Blix, MSc, of the department of pediatric research, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet in Norway, and colleagues evaluated data from two population-based cohorts on 155,392 children followed from birth (1996-2009) to 2014 (Danish National Birth Cohort) or 2015 (Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study) to determine the relationship between the duration of full or any breast-feeding and the risk for type 1 diabetes in children. Infant dietary practices were reported by parents when children were aged 6 and 18 months.
Overall, 504 participants developed type 1 diabetes for an incidence of 30.5 per 100,000 person-years in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort and 23.5 per 100,000 person-years in the Danish National Birth Cohort.
Breast-feeding was never initiated in 0.8% of the Norwegian cohort and 2.4% of the Danish cohort; full breast-feeding for at least 6 months was reported in 13.8% of the Norwegian cohort and 6.3% of the Danish cohort; any breast-feeding for at least 12 months was reported in 38.5% of the Norwegian cohort and 20.2% of the Danish cohort.
The risk for developing type 1 diabetes was higher in children who were never breast-fed compared with any breast-feeding for at least 12 months (HR = 2.29; 95% CI, 1.14-4.61) and compared with full breast-feeding for at least 6 months (HR = 2.31; 95% CI, 1.11-4.8).
“The results from two of the world’s largest birth cohorts provide suggestive evidence for the hypothesis that initiating breast-feeding may reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes,” the researchers wrote. “However, among those who were breast-fed, our study provides strong evidence against a clinically important association with prolonging full or any breast-feeding and risk of type 1 diabetes.” – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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