DURATION OF BREAST-FEEDING ASSOCIATED WITH OBESITY DURING ADOLESCENCE

The relationship between duration of breastfeeding and obesity (body m ass index greater than or equal to 85 percentile) at adolescence was i nvestigated in a white, rural population (n=136) in which confounding by race was absent and confounding by socioeconomic status was expecte d to be minimal, Relevant data were abstracted from hospital charts. W hen examined independently, minimal (less than or equal to 2 months) o r no breastfeeding was positively associated with adolescent obesity ( p<0.03). This association was present in the lower but not the higher socioeconomic status group, However, when sex, birthweight, and socioe conomic status were included in a multiple regression model, duration of breastfeeding was no longer significantly associated,vith obesity d uring adolescence.