Understanding How Breastfeeding Affects Obesity

Recent studies questioned whether breastfeeding can lower rates of obesity among kids, and the latest analysis will only add to the confusion. Researchers from Okayama University in Japan reported that among 43,300 Japanese children, those who were only breastfeed at six to seven months were less likely to be overweight or obese at ages seven or eight compared to kids who drank formula. That’s reassuring for advocates of breastfeeding, who have always maintained that the practice has health benefits for both mom and baby that include helping both to keep up healthy weights. But a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in March undermined the association by noting...