Abstract

TERRERO, Eumelia Ondina; ALVAREZ GOMEZ, José Luís; DIAZ NOVAS, José  and  FERRER ARROCHA, Marlene. Breastfeeding and its relation to corporal excess weight in secondary school adolescents. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2010, vol.26, n.1. ISSN 0864-2125.

Introduction: the excess weight and obesity are atherosclerosis risks increasing in all ages. Transgressions of breastfeeding have been related frequently to excess weight. Objectives: to contribute to clearing up of relation between the length of breastfeeding and the excessive body weight (excess weight and obesity) in adolescents. Methods: this is an observational study of cases and controls conducted in 344 adolescents studying in "Benito Juárez" Urban Secondary School (UBS) from health area of "Antonio Guiteras Holmes" Polyclinic in Habana Vieja (January, 2005 to January, 2006). In all students we made anthropometry measurements of body weight, height and waist circumference. Control group included students with normal weight. Statistical association between breastfeeding and corporal excess weight was determined by odds ratio calculus con a 95 % accuracy. Results: it was verified the 14 % of excess weight and the 4% of obesity. The 16,6 % of those with excess weight had not exclusive breastfeeding. There was a significant association between breastfeeding length and the excess weight (odd ratio= 5,8). Conclusions: the non-presence or the short time of breastfeeding length are a potential signal of early atherosclerosis predicting the excess weight risk in future ages, allowing to direct proper strategies for its early prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords : Breastfeeding length; excess weight in adolescents; signal of early atherosclerosis.