Fig. 1
A mediation model for the association between breastfeeding duration (total and exclusive) and childhood obesity. βM represents the effect estimate for breastfeeding duration on DNA methylation (CpG ~ breastfeeding duration + covariates); βY represents the effect estimate for CpG on childhood obesity (BMI trajectory ~ CpG + covariates; βc represents the direct effect (no mediation) estimate for breastfeeding duration on childhood obesity (BMI trajectory ~ breastfeeding duration + covariates; βc′ represents the total effect estimate on childhood obesity (BMI trajectory = breastfeeding duration + covariates + CpG)