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Posted By
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May 6, 2008, 9:53 am
Flag as Inappropriate MSeal
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Subject
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Breastfeeding 'helps to boost IQ'
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Canada's McGill University found breastfed babies ended up performing better in IQ tests by the age of six.
But the researchers were unsure whether it was related to the breast milk itself or the bond from breastfeeding.
The study of nearly 14,000 children is the latest in a series of reports to have found such a positive link.
However, one problem has been that some of the research has struggled to identify whether the findings were related to the fact that mothers from more affluent backgrounds were more likely to breastfeed and it was factors related to the family circumstances that was really influencing intelligence.
But the latest study attempted to take this into account by following the progress of children born in hospitals in Belarus, some of which ran breastfeeding promotion schemes to boost rates across all groups.
They found that those who breastfed exclusively for the first three months - with many also continuing to 12 months - scored an average of 5.9 points higher on IQ tests in childhood.
Teachers also rated these children significantly higher academically than control children in both reading and writing, the Archives of General Psychiatry reported.
Lead researcher Professor Michael Kramer said: "Long-term, exclusive breastfeeding appears to improve children's cognitive development."
But he added: "Even though the treatment difference appears causal, it remains unclear whether the observed cognitive benefits of breastfeeding are due to some constituents of breast milk or are related to the physical and social interactions inherent in breastfeeding."
Changes
Fatty acids found in breast milk are thought to boost intelligence, but the report said the physical and emotional aspect of breastfeeding may lead to permanent changes to brain development.
The researchers also suggested breastfeeding may increase verbal interaction between mother and child, which in turn could aid their development.
Nonetheless Professor Kramer said more efforts should be made to promote breastfeeding.
In England, the government recommends mothers breastfeed for the first six months.
But research shows while three quarters start off breastfeeding, just one in four are still doing it by six months.
Rosie Dodds, of the National Childbirth Trust, said: "This research certainly increases the evidence about the impact of breastfeeding.
"And I think what we now need is more effort put into supporting it."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7385097.stm
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Comments
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May 6, 2008, 1:36 pm
Flag as Inappropriate ewills says...
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It is good they took into consideration the background of the children breast feeding.
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May 6, 2008, 3:53 pm
Flag as Inappropriate gbyrd says...
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This has been a presumption for some time now hasn't it? Seems like I have heard this several times before in the news.
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May 6, 2008, 8:39 pm
Flag as Inappropriate bouncehouse says...
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I hear this a lot, but I'm glad to see a story that shows this in a balanced way--that it might have more to do with other background factors these families have in common.
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May 7, 2008, 7:47 pm
Flag as Inappropriate K to the J says...
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I heard the negative aspect of breast feeding can be buck-teeth for the child (beaver teeth) and the mother resulting in having smaller breasts as she gets older..
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June 2, 2008, 9:42 am
Flag as Inappropriate pheinbaugh2 says...
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I think it sounds very possible. It makes sense to me.
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