The effects of maternal prepregnancy body mass index and psychological factors on infant feeding behaviors

Public Deposited
Analytics

Downloadable Content

Download PDF
Request Version for Screen Reader
Last Modified
  • March 21, 2019
Creator
  • Mehta, Ushma J.
    • Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Nutrition
Abstract
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months with continued breastfeeding until at least 1 year of age. Three-quarters of women in the U.S. initiate breastfeeding but rates decline considerably by 6 and 12 months postpartum; furthermore, many women introduce complementary foods before the recommended age. Low breastfeeding rates and early introduction of foods may be explained, in part, by the rise in obesity among women of childbearing age. There is some evidence that women who enter pregnancy overweight and obese are more likely to not breastfeed, to breastfeed for a shorter duration and to introduce complementary foods earlier than women of normal body mass index (BMI). It is unclear why this association exists but possible reasons include obesity-related biological changes, psychological changes and mechanical difficulties. The purpose of this research was to determine the association between pregravid BMI and infant feeding behaviors and explore whether the relationship was mediated by psychological factors present during pregnancy (depressive symptoms, stress, anxiety, and self-esteem). Data came from the postpartum component of the Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition study. Pregnant women, recruited from the University of North Carolina hospitals between January 2001 and June 2005, were followed from pregnancy to postpartum. Using multivariable regression analysis, we found that women who entered pregnancy overweight or obese were less likely to adhere to current infant feeding recommendations. Specifically, overweight or obese women were less likely to initiate breastfeeding; more likely to breastfeed for shorter duration (any or exclusive); and more likely to introduce complementary foods before 4 months of age compared to women of normal BMI. We did not find evidence to support the hypothesis that the association between pregravid BMI and infant feeding was mediated by psychological factors. Our results showed a strong association between maternal pregravid BMI and infant feeding behaviors but, contrary to our expectations, we did not find evidence for a mediatory psychological pathway. This suggests that other factors may be more important in explaining the pregravid BMI-infant feeding relationship. Future studies need to explore why overweight and obese women are less likely to adhere to infant feeding guidelines.
Date of publication
DOI
Resource type
Rights statement
  • In Copyright
Note
  • "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health."
Advisor
  • Siega-Riz, Anna Maria
Degree granting institution
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Language
Publisher
Place of publication
  • Chapel Hill, NC
Access right
  • Open access
Date uploaded
  • March 18, 2013

Relations

Parents:

This work has no parents.

Items

Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Visibility Actions
file details 2019-04-15 Public Download