Abstract

Author(s): Mora-Urda, Ana Isabel1; Espinoza, Alfredo1; López-Ejeda, Noemí2; Acevedo, Paula1; Romero-Collazos, Juan Francisco1; Montero-López, María Pilar1

Introduction: Nutrition in the early stages of the human life cycle could have a programmer effect on physiology and metabolism of the individual conditioning their health in the future.

Objective: To describe patterns of breastfeeding and the current nutritional status of a sample of 217 children analyzing the possible relationship between nutritional conditions that elapses growth and development process and the risk of cardiovascular disease in the future.

Methods: Weight, height and waist circumference was taken by anthropometry, Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated and systolic and diastolic blood pressure as an early indicator of cardiovascular risk was measured.

Results: 94.7% of mothers rely on breast milk as the best food for newborns but only 88.8% initiated breastfeeding in the first few days after birth and only the 15.6% of them reach 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding recommended by the World Health Organiza - tion. The 29.3% of boys and 24% of girls were overweight and there were obesity in 10.3% and 6% respectively. There is significant inverse linear variation between the duration of exclusive breastfeeding and waist circumference (p = 0.033, B = -0.215), also with diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.032, B = -0.215). There is a trend to increase the BMI when the duration of exclusive breastfeeding decreases.

Conclusion: The breastfeeding patterns described in the sample do not conform to international recommendations and is obvious the relationship between phy - siological variables indicative of early cardiovascular risk and fat accumulation.