All interventionsOverweight and obese children are at higher risk of developing serious health problems including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and other respiratory problems, sleep disorders and liver disease. They may also suffer from psychological effects, such as low self-esteem, depression and social isolation. Childhood obesity also increases the risk of obesity, noncommunicable diseases, premature death and disability in adulthood.
In addition to providing all the nutrients an infant needs in the first six months of life and protecting against common childhood diseases (i.e. diarrhoea and pneumonia), mounting evidence indicates that breastfeeding may have longer-term benefits such as reducing the risk of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence.