Abstract

OBJECTIVE To investigate if there is a reduced risk of type 1 diabetes in children breastfed or exclusively breastfed by performing a pooled analysis with adjustment for recognized confounders. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Relevant studies were identified from literature searches using MEDLINE, Web of Science, and EMBASE. Authors of relevant studies were asked to provide individual participant data or conduct prespecified analyses. Meta-analysis techniques were used to combine odds ratios (ORs) and investigate heterogeneity between studies. RESULTS Data were available from 43 studies including 9,874 patients with type 1 diabetes. Overall, there was a reduction in the risk of diabetes after exclusive breast-feeding for >2 weeks (20 studies; OR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.64-0.88), the association after exclusive breast-feeding for >3 months was weaker (30 studies; OR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.75-1.00), and no association was observed after (nonexclusive) breast-feeding for >2 weeks (28 studies; OR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.81-1.07) or >3 months (29 studies; OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.78-1.00). These associations were all subject to marked heterogeneity (I(2) = 58, 76, 54, and 68%, respectively). In studies with lower risk of bias, the reduced risk after exclusive breast-feeding for >2 weeks remained (12 studies; OR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.75-0.99), and heterogeneity was reduced (I(2) = 0%). Adjustments for potential confounders altered these estimates very little. CONCLUSIONS The pooled analysis suggests weak protective associations between exclusive breast-feeding and type 1 diabetes risk. However, these findings are difficult to interpret because of the marked variation in effect and possible biases (particularly recall bias) inherent in the included studies.

Autore Pugliese

• Devoti Gabriele

Tutti gli autori

• Cardwell C.R. , Stene L.C. , Ludvigsson J. , Rosenbauer J. , Cinek O. , Svensson J. , Perez-Bravo F. , Memon A. , Gimeno S.G. , Wadsworth E.J. , Strotmeyer E.S. , Goldacre M.J. , Radon K. , Chuang L.M. , Parslow R.C. , Chetwynd A. , Karavanaki K. , Brigis G. , Pozzilli P. , Urbonaité B. , Schober E. , Devoti G. , Sipetic S. , Joner G. , Ionescu-Tirgoviste C. , de Beaufort C.E. , Harrild K. , Benson V. , Savilahti E. , Ponsoney A.L. , Salem M. , Rabiei S. , Patterson C.C.

Titolo volume/Rivista

DIABETES CARE

Anno di pubblicazione

2012

ISSN

0149-5992

ISBN

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Wos

43

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

28/04/2018

Numero di citazioni Scopus

45

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

28/04/2018

Settori ERC

Non Disponibile

Codici ASJC

Non Disponibile