eLENA interventions and global targets
Evidence linking early initiation of breastfeeding to global targets*
Global nutrition targets 2025
No increase in childhood overweight
Direct evidence for a link between early initiation of breastfeeding and childhood overweight is not currently available at the systematic review level. Results of a 2015 systematic review and meta-analysis found that individuals with any level of breastfeeding were less likely to be overweight or obese later in life compared to non-breastfed individuals. Results of a 2012 systematic review and meta-analysis found that early skin-to-skin contact between newborns and their mothers –which increases the likelihood of breastfeeding initiation– had higher rates of exclusive breastfeeding, providing indirect evidence for a link between kangaroo care and reduced risk of childhood overweight.
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Long-term consequences of breastfeeding on cholesterol, obesity, systolic blood pressure and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Horta BL, Loret de Mola C, Victora CG.
Acta Paediatrica. 2015; 104: 30–37. -
Early skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants
Moore ER, Anderson GC, Bergman N, Dowswell T.
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2012; Issue 5. Art. No.: CD003519.
Increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in first 6 months up to at least 50%
Direct evidence for the effect of early initiation of breastfeeding on exclusive breastfeeding comes from a 2012 systematic review and meta-analysis which found that early skin-to-skin contact between newborns and their mothers –which increases the likelihood of breastfeeding initiation– had higher rates of exclusive breastfeeding.
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Early skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants
Moore ER, Anderson GC, Bergman N, Dowswell T.
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2012; Issue 5. Art. No.: CD003519.
Global NCD targets for 2025
Halt the rise in diabetes and obesity
Direct evidence for a link between early initiation of breastfeeding and obesity is not currently available at the systematic review level. Results of a 2015 systematic review and meta-analysis found that individuals with any level of breastfeeding were less likely to be overweight or obese later in life compared to non-breastfed individuals. Results of a 2012 systematic review and meta-analysis found that early skin-to-skin contact between newborns and their mothers –which increases the likelihood of breastfeeding initiation– had higher rates of exclusive breastfeeding, providing indirect evidence for a link between kangaroo care and reduced risk of obesity later in life.
-
Long-term consequences of breastfeeding on cholesterol, obesity, systolic blood pressure and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Horta BL, Loret de Mola C, Victora CG.
Acta Paediatrica. 2015; 104: 30–37. -
Early skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants
Moore ER, Anderson GC, Bergman N, Dowswell T.
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2012; Issue 5. Art. No.: CD003519.
* With few exceptions, links noted between interventions and global nutrition or NCD targets are based on published evidence resulting from systematic reviews of the literature. Individual studies were not assessed unless they were included in such a published review.
Coloured icons indicate that there is evidence of a direct link between the intervention of interest and target(s); i.e. systematic reviews are available assessing the effect of the intervention on an outcome directly relevant to the targets (e.g. prevalence of stunting, rate of breastfeeding, etc.).
Grey icons indicate that there is evidence of an indirect link between the intervention of interest and target(s). Where indirect links have been noted, systematic reviews linking the intervention directly to one or more targets are not currently available; i.e. the studies included in the review(s) do not assess the effect of the intervention on the outcomes that are directly relevant to the targets. For example, systematic reviews directly linking breastfeeding to stunting are not currently available. However, systematic reviews linking breastfeeding to a reduction in diarrhoea are available, as are reviews linking diarrhoea to increases in stunting. Therefore, interventions that increase breastfeeding rates may indirectly reduce stunting. Additionally, indirect links may be noted when the only available outcome data is for an indicator used to assess outcomes relevant to the targets. For example, body mass index (BMI) is an indicator for overweight and obesity and an intervention that reduces BMI may contribute to decreasing rates of overweight and/or obesity. Therefore, an indirect link would be noted between interventions for which systematic review(s) report BMI as an outcome, and the global overweight and obesity targets.