Childhood obesity rates continue to climb. However, babies who are breastfed have a 30 percent drop in their risk of obesity, according to a study published in the June 8, 2002 issue of The Lancet. This study looked at more than 32,000 children who were 3 to 4 years old. After adjusting for birth weight and socioeconomic status, those who had been breastfed were only 70 percent as likely as their formula-fed peers to have become obese. Breastfeeding is not a guarantee of a good outcome, but it does improve the odds for your child in many areas of life.