Breastfed babies less likely to be overweight children, researchers say

BOSTON - A new study finds how you feed your young baby may influence their degree of body fat in childhood.

Researchers at the University of Colorado analyzed data on 700 mother-child pairs and found that babies who were breastfed for at least six months had a lower percentage of body fat at age nine compared to those who were not breastfed at all or received breastmilk for less than six months.

Also, kids who were not given soda before 18 months of age had significantly less body fat by age nine. 

 New moms are encouraged to breastfeed for at least the first six months of their baby's life, if possible, and to avoid exposing their children to soda which has tons of calories but no nutritional value during this vulnerable stage of development. 

In:
• Health
• Breastfeeding

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

Twitter Facebook