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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- There may be a behavioral reason to explain why breastfeeding can lower the risk of obesity later in life.
Researchers from Temple University surveyed more than 120 mothers to see whether they had breastfed or bottle-fed their babies using either pumped breast milk or formula.
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They found it was easier for children who were breastfed to know when they were full. Those who were bottle-fed with pumped breast milk were less likely to respond to the feeling of being full by the time they were preschool-aged. This led to a higher body mass index (BMI).
The results suggest a behavioral link between breastfeeding and preventing obesity later in life. Researchers say children who are breastfed grow to have more positive eating behaviors.
Mothers who bottle feed often focus on a set amount of ounces per day or time schedule for feeding, Katherine F. Isselmann, M.P.H., Temple University, was quoted as saying. This could lead mothers to rely more on the bottle for feedback than on the infants cues of fullness and hunger.
She says with breast-feeding, mothers become more in tune with when their babies are done eating and babies can develop their own internal cues to signal when they feel full.
While some women may choose not to breastfeed, Isselmann encourages mothers who bottle-feed to adopt more infant-focused feeding habits. For example, growing babies should not have x ounces per day set in stone. Some days they may need more food; other days they may need less.
SOURCE: American Public Health Association Annual Meeting in San Diego, California, October 25-29, 2008
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