Mahdieh Momayyezi - M.Sc of Health Education, Prevention and Epidemiology of Non -Communicable Disease Research center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
Hossein Fallahzadeh - Professor, Prevention and Epidemiology of Non-Communicable Disease Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
Hamideh Nasirzadeh - Faculty of Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

Objective: Overweight and obesity described as the most serious public health issues that can lead to long-term consequences .This study conducted to investigate whether breastfeeding has a preventing effect on the prevalence of overweight and obesity in adulthood. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on students in Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences (n=۳۰۰) in ۲۰۱۳. Data were collected through cluster sampling method. Data was collected via a researcher made checklist. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, chi square and ANOVA in SPSS-۱۶ software. Results: The mean (±Standard Deviation) of body mass index (BMI) of students were ۲۱.۹۱ ± ۰.۴ kg/m۲. The mean BMI of men was significantly higher than women. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was ۱۶.۷%. Based on the result, approximately ۹۶.۴% of the children had been ever breastfed; ۱۱.۱% of the children were breastfed for less than ۶ months. Researcher found no association between the duration or exclusivity of breastfeeding and obesity and overweight in later life. Conclusion: The results of our study did not show a significant association between the duration or exclusivity of breastfeeding and BMI in young adulthood.

Bottle feeding, Breast feeding, Obesity, Overweight