Cohort profile: The promotion of breastfeeding intervention trial (PROBIT).

The PROmotion of Breastfeeding Intervention Trial (PROBIT) is a multicentre, cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted in the Republic of Belarus, in which the experimental intervention was the promotion of increased breastfeeding duration and exclusivity, modelled on the Baby-friendly hospital initiative. Between June 1996 and December 1997, 17,046 mother-infant pairs were recruited during their postpartum hospital stay from 31 maternity hospitals, of which 16 hospitals and their affiliated polyclinics had been randomly assigned to the arm of PROBIT investigating the promotion of breastfeeding and 15 had been assigned to the control arm, in which breastfeeding practices and policies in effect at the time of randomization was continued. Of the mother-infant pairs originally recruited for the study, 16,492 (96.

A randomized breast-feeding promotion intervention did not reduce child obesity in Belarus.

The evidence that breast-feeding protects against obesity is based on observational studies, with potential for confounding and selection bias. This article summarizes a previously published study in which we assessed whether an intervention designed to promote exclusive and prolonged breast-feeding affects children's height, weight, adiposity, and blood pressure (BP) at age 6.5 y.

Effects of prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding on child height, weight, adiposity, and blood pressure at age 6.5 y: evidence from a large randomized trial.

Background: The evidence that breastfeeding protects against obesity and a variety of chronic diseases comes almost entirely from observational studies, which have a potential for bias due to confounding, selection bias, and selective publication.

Objective: We assessed whether an intervention designed to promote exclusive and prolonged breastfeeding affects children's height, weight, adiposity, and blood pressure at age 6.5 y.

Effect of prolonged and exclusive breast feeding on risk of allergy and asthma: cluster randomised trial.

Objective: To assess whether exclusive and prolonged breast feeding reduces the risk of childhood asthma and allergy by age 6.5 years.

Design: Cluster randomised trial.

Feeding effects on growth during infancy.

Objective: To examine the effects of formula, other milks, other liquids, cereals, and other solid foods on growth during infancy.

Study Design: Observational cohort study nested within a large (n=17,046), cluster-randomized trial. We compared growth [weight-for-age, length-for-age, and weight-for-length z scores (WAZ, LAZ, WLZ) and head circumference (HC)] during the intervals 1 to 3, 3 to 6, 6 to 9, and 9 to 12 months, using hierarchical multivariate regression to control for size at the beginning of each interval, maternal education, geographic region, and urban versus rural location.