A new study is suggesting that children who are breastfed and weaned onto solid foods later in life have a lower risk of obesity.
The research, which is part of the "Growing Up In Ireland" study, was carried out by the Economic and Social Research Institute.
The findings show that children who have been breastfed for three to six months are 38% less likely to be obese at nine years of age, when compared to exclusively formula-fed children.
The study shows that those breastfed for six months or more are 51% less likely to be obese.
A co-author of the report, Professor Richard Layte from the ESRI, said there needs to be a re-doubling of efforts to address childhood obesity and increase rates of breastfeeding in Ireland, which are among the lowest in Europe.
Reacting to the findings, Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald said that if the worrying trend of childhood obesity is to be reversed in Ireland, promoting and increasing rates of breast-feeding must become part of the Government's policy response.
