Association of Breastfeeding Duration with Cardiac Structure and Function in 4 Years Old

Abstract Background Breast milk is an important source of nutrition for infant development. But few studies have investigated the relationship between breastfeeding duration and children's cardiac structure and function. Objectives To assess the association of the duration of breastfeeding in infancy with cardiac structures and functions in 4-year-old children. Methods We analyzed follow-up data from the Shanghai Birth Cohort (SBC). A total of 891 mother-offspring pairs were included in this study. This study calculates the total duration of breastfeeding, which includes exclusive breastfeeding and mixed feeding. The duration of breastfeeding was categorized into three groups: less than 6 months, 6 to 12 months, and 12 months or more. Results The results showed that: compared to 4-year-old children who were breastfed for less than 6 months, those breastfed for more than 6 months had bigger left atrial and ventricular volume, including increased left atrial diastolic volume [LAVd (βad: 2.09, 95% CIad: 1.35, 2.83)], left atrial systolic volume [LAVs (βad: 0.92, 95% CIad: 0.53, 1.3)], left ventricular diastolic volume [LVEDV (βad: 2.00, 95% CIad: 0.36, 3.62)] and systolic volume [LVESV (βad: 0.87, 95% CIad: 0.17, 1.57)]. The cardiac structural changes in 4-year-old children breastfed for more than 12 months were consistent with those breastfed for 6–12 months. In the further subgroup analysis, the above findings were more evident in girls and children born with lower birthweight. Conclusions Four-year-old children who were breastfed for six months or more had increased left heart volume, and this association was influenced by gender and birthweight.