Relationship between breastfeeding duration, lifestyle and obesity in children aged 3–16 years: a cross-sectional study

IntroductionChildhood obesity is emerging as an increasingly severe public health problem. Effective lifestyle and dietary interventions are urgently needed to prevent childhood obesity. The study explored the association of breastfeeding duration in early life and lifestyle habits with childhood ob...

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Main Authors: Yu Liu, Yiyao Gu, Jie Mu, Zhi Duan, Xixiang Wang, Xiuwen Ren, Lu Liu, Jingjing Xu, Chi Zhang, Shaobo Zhou, Ning Ma, Linhong Yuan, Ying Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Nutrition
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1598141/full
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author Yu Liu
Yiyao Gu
Jie Mu
Zhi Duan
Xixiang Wang
Xiuwen Ren
Lu Liu
Jingjing Xu
Chi Zhang
Shaobo Zhou
Ning Ma
Linhong Yuan
Ying Wang
author_facet Yu Liu
Yiyao Gu
Jie Mu
Zhi Duan
Xixiang Wang
Xiuwen Ren
Lu Liu
Jingjing Xu
Chi Zhang
Shaobo Zhou
Ning Ma
Linhong Yuan
Ying Wang
author_sort Yu Liu
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionChildhood obesity is emerging as an increasingly severe public health problem. Effective lifestyle and dietary interventions are urgently needed to prevent childhood obesity. The study explored the association of breastfeeding duration in early life and lifestyle habits with childhood obesity.MethodsA total of 541 children aged 3–16 at Suzhou Science and Technology City Hospital were included in this analysis. The participants were categorized into obesity group and non-obesity group. Assigned and calculated the score of lifestyle habits and the total score of lifestyle habits and breastfeeding. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk of obesity with breastfeeding and/or lifestyle habits scores, and ROC curves were applied to evaluate the accuracy of the models. SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) was used to explore the specified impact of variables.Results(1) The dietary habits of children with obesity were marked by consuming more meat-based foods, preferring heavier flavors food items, and having a habit of snacking before meals. (2) It is recommended that newborn be breastfed for 4–12 months. (3) Healthy lifestyle habits and prolonged breastfeeding duration are both protective factors for childhood obesity respectively, and the synergistic impact is much more significant.DiscussionProlonging breastfeeding duration appropriately and cultivating healthy dietary habits might contribute to prevention of childhood obesity.
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spelling doaj-art-471b2bc2999c4f44b81b541b9df5a9d42025-08-20T03:45:44ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2025-06-011210.3389/fnut.2025.15981411598141Relationship between breastfeeding duration, lifestyle and obesity in children aged 3–16 years: a cross-sectional studyYu Liu0Yiyao Gu1Jie Mu2Zhi Duan3Xixiang Wang4Xiuwen Ren5Lu Liu6Jingjing Xu7Chi Zhang8Shaobo Zhou9Ning Ma10Linhong Yuan11Ying Wang12School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment and Aging, China-British Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Prevention and Control of Chronic Diseases, Beijing, ChinaSuzhou Research Center of Medical School, Suzhou Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Suzhou, ChinaSuzhou Research Center of Medical School, Suzhou Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Suzhou, ChinaSuzhou Research Center of Medical School, Suzhou Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Suzhou, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment and Aging, China-British Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Prevention and Control of Chronic Diseases, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment and Aging, China-British Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Prevention and Control of Chronic Diseases, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment and Aging, China-British Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Prevention and Control of Chronic Diseases, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment and Aging, China-British Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Prevention and Control of Chronic Diseases, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United StatesSchool of Science, Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich, Chatham, United KingdomSchool of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment and Aging, China-British Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Prevention and Control of Chronic Diseases, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment and Aging, China-British Joint Laboratory of Nutrition Prevention and Control of Chronic Diseases, Beijing, ChinaSuzhou Research Center of Medical School, Suzhou Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Suzhou, ChinaIntroductionChildhood obesity is emerging as an increasingly severe public health problem. Effective lifestyle and dietary interventions are urgently needed to prevent childhood obesity. The study explored the association of breastfeeding duration in early life and lifestyle habits with childhood obesity.MethodsA total of 541 children aged 3–16 at Suzhou Science and Technology City Hospital were included in this analysis. The participants were categorized into obesity group and non-obesity group. Assigned and calculated the score of lifestyle habits and the total score of lifestyle habits and breastfeeding. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk of obesity with breastfeeding and/or lifestyle habits scores, and ROC curves were applied to evaluate the accuracy of the models. SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) was used to explore the specified impact of variables.Results(1) The dietary habits of children with obesity were marked by consuming more meat-based foods, preferring heavier flavors food items, and having a habit of snacking before meals. (2) It is recommended that newborn be breastfed for 4–12 months. (3) Healthy lifestyle habits and prolonged breastfeeding duration are both protective factors for childhood obesity respectively, and the synergistic impact is much more significant.DiscussionProlonging breastfeeding duration appropriately and cultivating healthy dietary habits might contribute to prevention of childhood obesity.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1598141/fullchildrenobesitylifestylebreastfeedingdietary
spellingShingle Yu Liu
Yiyao Gu
Jie Mu
Zhi Duan
Xixiang Wang
Xiuwen Ren
Lu Liu
Jingjing Xu
Chi Zhang
Shaobo Zhou
Ning Ma
Linhong Yuan
Ying Wang
Relationship between breastfeeding duration, lifestyle and obesity in children aged 3–16 years: a cross-sectional study
Frontiers in Nutrition
children
obesity
lifestyle
breastfeeding
dietary
title Relationship between breastfeeding duration, lifestyle and obesity in children aged 3–16 years: a cross-sectional study
title_full Relationship between breastfeeding duration, lifestyle and obesity in children aged 3–16 years: a cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Relationship between breastfeeding duration, lifestyle and obesity in children aged 3–16 years: a cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Relationship between breastfeeding duration, lifestyle and obesity in children aged 3–16 years: a cross-sectional study
title_short Relationship between breastfeeding duration, lifestyle and obesity in children aged 3–16 years: a cross-sectional study
title_sort relationship between breastfeeding duration lifestyle and obesity in children aged 3 16 years a cross sectional study
topic children
obesity
lifestyle
breastfeeding
dietary
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1598141/full
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