Childhood obesity: The benefits of breastfeeding versus formula feeding

Abstract

The aim was to review the evidence supporting the possible health benefits for obesity of breastfeeding versus formula feeding in infants. The search for studies addressing this topic was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science and Scielo databases. “Breastfeeding”, “formula feeding” and “obesity” were the keywords used in the search. Only studies with a full version of the manuscript were included. The evidence analyzed indicated that children fed exclusively through breastfeeding reported low levels of overweight and obesity in comparison to those fed by infant milk formulas. To conclude, exclusive breastfeeding until the sixth month of life, and supplementation with solid (non-dairy) food until two years and more, is the gold standard and could protect against childhood obesity and its associated comorbidities in adult life.