Breastfeeding linked to a range of health benefits for infants

SATURADAY July 5, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- A review article in the April 2007 issue of Evidence Report/Technology Assessment reports on many benefits that breastfeeding may provide both the mother and the infant in developed countries.

The review is based on 43 primary studies on maternal health outcomes and 29 systematic reviews or meta-analyses that included 400 individual studies.

According to the current review, the benefits of breastfeeding for the infants include "a reduction in the risk of acute otitis media, non-specific gastroenteritis, severe lower respiratory tract infections, atopic dermatitis, asthma (young children), obesity, type 1 and 2 diabetes, childhood leukemia, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and necrotizing enterocolitis."

The benefits of breastfeeding for the mothers include a reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes, breast and ovarian cancer, and depression. Early cessation or not breastfeeding was associated with higher risk of maternal postpartum depression.

The review finds no relationship between breastfeeding and cognitive performance in term infants. The effect of breastfeeding on cardiovascular health also remains unknown.

The authors caution that because most of the reviewed studies were observational, the results of the review do not suggest a causal relationship between breastfeeding and the observed benefits, meaning that other variables may be also involved.

By Sue Mueller, and edited by Heather Kelley.
Jul 5, 2008 - 1:25:02 PM