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Infant feeding patterns in families with a diabetes history – observations from The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) birth cohort study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 November 2013

Sandra Hummel*
Affiliation:
Institute of Diabetes Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München and Forschergruppe Diabetes, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany Forschergruppe Diabetes eV, Neuherberg, Germany
Kendra Vehik
Affiliation:
Morsani College of Medicine, Pediatrics Epidemiology Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
Ulla Uusitalo
Affiliation:
Morsani College of Medicine, Pediatrics Epidemiology Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
Wendy McLeod
Affiliation:
Morsani College of Medicine, Pediatrics Epidemiology Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
Carin Andrén Aronsson
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmo, Sweden
Nicole Frank
Affiliation:
The Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
Patricia Gesualdo
Affiliation:
The Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
Jimin Yang
Affiliation:
Morsani College of Medicine, Pediatrics Epidemiology Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
Jill M Norris
Affiliation:
Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
Suvi M Virtanen
Affiliation:
Unit of Nutrition, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland Science Center of Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland Research Center for Child Health, Tampere University and University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
*
*Corresponding author: Email sandra.hummel@lrz.uni-muenchen.de
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Abstract

Objective

To assess the association between diabetes family history and infant feeding patterns.

Design

Data on breast-feeding duration and age at first introduction of cow's milk and gluten-containing cereals were collected in 3-month intervals during the first 24 months of life.

Setting

Data from the multicentre TEDDY (The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young) study, including centres in the USA, Sweden, Finland and Germany.

Subjects

A total of 7026 children, including children with a mother with type 1 diabetes (T1D; n 292), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM; n 404) or without diabetes but with a father and/or sibling with T1D (n 464) and children without diabetes family history (n 5866).

Results

While exclusive breast-feeding ended earlier and cow's milk was introduced earlier in offspring of mothers with T1D and GDM, offspring of non-diabetic mothers but a father and/or sibling with T1D were exclusively breast-fed longer and introduced to cow's milk later compared with infants without diabetes family history. The association between maternal diabetes and shorter exclusive breast-feeding duration was attenuated after adjusting for clinical variables (delivery mode, gestational age, Apgar score and birth weight). Country-specific analyses revealed differences in these associations, with Sweden showing the strongest and Finland showing no association between maternal diabetes and breast-feeding duration.

Conclusions

Family history of diabetes is associated with infant feeding patterns; however, the associations clearly differ by country, indicating that cultural differences are important determinants of infant feeding behaviour. These findings need to be considered when developing strategies to improve feeding patterns in infants with a diabetes family history.

Information

Type
Special groups
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2013 
Figure 0

Table 1 Characteristics of the children by presence of diabetes in the family: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) birth cohort

Figure 1

Fig. 1 Life-table analysis of age at end of exclusive breast-feeding (a), age at end of any breast-feeding (b), age at first introduction of cow's milk (c) and age at first introduction of gluten-containing cereals (d) in relation to the presence of diabetes in the family (, father/sib with T1D; , mother with GDM; , mother with T1D; , no diabetes family history), all participating countries: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study (sib, sibling; T1D, type 1 diabetes; GDM, gestational diabetes mellitus)

Figure 2

Table 2 Infant feeding patterns in relation to the presence of diabetes in the family, all participating countries: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study

Figure 3

Fig. 2 Country-specific life-table analysis of age at end of exclusive breast-feeding in infants from the USA (a), Finland (b), Germany (c) and Sweden (d) in relation to the presence of diabetes in the family (, father/sib with T1D; , mother with GDM; , mother with T1D; , no diabetes family history): The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study (sib, sibling; T1D, type 1 diabetes; GDM, gestational diabetes mellitus)

Figure 4

Table 3 Country-specific analysis of infant feeding patterns in relation to the presence of diabetes in the family: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study