Short duration of breast-feeding as a risk-factor for β-cell autoantibodies in 5-year-old children from the general population

• Breast-feeding has been suggested to have a protective effect against the development of type 1 diabetes. In the present study, we investigated the relation between duration of breast-feeding and β-cell autoantibodies in 5-year-old non-diabetic children who participated in a prospective population-based follow-up study (the All Babies in Southeast Sweden study). Autoantibodies to insulin (IAA), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA) and the protein tyrosine phosphatase-like IA-2 (IA-2A) were measured by radiobinding assays. A short duration of total breast-feeding was associated with an increased risk of GADA and/or IAA above the ninety-fifth percentile at 5 years of age (OR 2-09, 95% CI 1-45, 3-02; P<0-000) as well as with an increased risk of IAA above the ninety-fifth percentile at this age (OR 2-89, 95% CI 1-81, 4-62; P<0-000). A short duration of exclusive breast-feeding was associated with an increased risk of GADA, IAA and/or IA-2A above the ninety-ninth percentile (OR 2-01, 95% CI 1-08, 3-73; P = 0-028) as well as with an increased risk of IA-2A above the ninety-ninth percentile (OR 3-50, 95% CI 1-38, 8-92; P = 0-009) at 5 years of age. An early introduction of formula was associated with an increased risk of GADA, IAA and/or IA-2A above the ninety-ninth percentile (OR 1-84, 95% CI 1-01, 3-37; P = 0-047) at 5 years of age. The positive association between a short duration of both total and exclusive breast-feeding, as well as an early introduction of formula, and positivity for β-cell autoantibodies in children from the general population suggests that breast-feeding modifies the risk of β-cell autoimmunity, even years after finishing breast-feeding.

Nyckelord

Breast-feeding

b-cell autoantibodies

Children

General population

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

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