Allergy Asthma Immunol Res.  2017 Jul;9(4):307-313. 10.4168/aair.2017.9.4.307.

Does Breast-feeding Relate to Development of Atopic Dermatitis in Young Korean Children?: Based on the Fourth and Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2012

• Lee KS
• Rha YH
• Oh IH
• Choi YS
• Kim YE
• Choi SH

• KMID: 2378193
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aair.2017.9.4.307

Abstract

PURPOSE
There have been conflicting reports concerning the relationship between breast-feeding and the development of atopic dermatitis (AD) in early childhood. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between breast-feeding and the risk of AD in early childhood in Korea.
METHODS
We combined the fourth and fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data collected from 2007 to 2012 and analyzed 2,015 children at 1 to 3 years old. Regression analysis was used to determine the association of the following variables: AD, feeding types, duration of breast-feeding, and others.
RESULTS
The annual prevalence of exclusive breast-feeding and AD decreased. Parents with allergic diseases preferred breast-feeding and extended duration of feeding compared with those without. In multiple logistic regression analyses, exclusive breast-feeding in feeding type I (P=0.070; adjusted odds ratio [OR]=1.990), exclusive breast-feeding in feeding type II (P=0.095; adjusted OR=1.495) and breast-feeding duration (P=0.430; adjusted OR=1.013) were not significantly related to AD.
CONCLUSIONS
Breast-feeding was not found to be associated with an occurrence of AD in young children. Rather, parents with histories of allergic diseases tended to prefer breast-feeding and extend its duration. To clarify the role of breast-feeding in the development of AD, a nation-wide prospective study is needed.

Keyword

Atopic dermatitis; breast-feeding; children; Korea; prevention

MeSH Terms

Child*
Dermatitis, Atopic*
Humans
Korea*
Logistic Models
Nutrition Surveys*
Odds Ratio
Parents
Prevalence
Prospective Studies

Figure

• 

  Figure Changes in the proportion of AD and exclusive breast-feeding in children at 1 to 3 years of age (KNHANES-IV and V, 2007-2012). This survey was conducted by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to evaluate Korean health and nutrition (KNHANES-IV: from 2007 to 2009, KNHANES-V: from 2010 to 2012). AD, atopic dermatitis; KNHANES-IV and V, The fourth and fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

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