Yahoo – AFP,
Mariette Le Roux, 18 March 2015
Paris (AFP) - People breastfed as infants have higher intelligence scores in adulthood, and higher earnings, according to a study Wednesday that tracked the development of 3,500 newborns over 30 years.
Breastfeeding
leads to increased adult intelligence, longer schooling and
higher adult
earnings, regardless of family background, the results of a
study suggest (AFP
Photo/Andrew Burton)
|
Paris (AFP) - People breastfed as infants have higher intelligence scores in adulthood, and higher earnings, according to a study Wednesday that tracked the development of 3,500 newborns over 30 years.
Whether a
mother was rich or poor, or had high or low social status, made no difference
to the results, it said.
The
findings drew a mixed response from outside commentators, a sign of scientific
caution about what influences IQ.
"Our
study provides the first evidence that prolonged breastfeeding not only increases
intelligence until at least the age of 30 years," said Bernardo Lessa
Horta of Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil, who led the probe.
Breast milk
is rich in long-chain
saturated fatty acids (DHAs) which
are essential for
brain development,
according to a new study (AFP
Photo/Niklas Halle'n)
|
In The
Lancet Global Health journal, Horta's team analysed data from a study of local
children who were born in 1982.
Information
on breastfeeding was compared to IQ test results at the average age of 30
years, as well as the educational achievement and income of 3,493 participants.
The
researchers divided the group into five categories, based on the length of time
they were breastfed as infants.
They took
into account 10 "social and biological variables" that might affect
IQ.
These
included family income at birth, parental schooling, maternal smoking during
pregnancy, maternal age, birthweight and how the baby was delivered.
Breastfeeding
led to increased adult intelligence, longer schooling and higher adult
earnings, regardless of family background, the results suggested.
"What
is unique about this study is the fact that, in the population we studied,
breastfeeding was not more common among highly educated, high-income women, but
was evenly distributed by social class," said Horta.
The longer
a child was breastfed, the greater the benefits, the investigation also found.
An
individual breastfed for at least a year as a baby gained a full four IQ
points, had 0.9 years more schooling, and an income of 341 Brazilian reals (98
euros, $104) higher per month at the age of 30, compared to those breastfed for
less than one month, the study found.
Breast milk
is rich in long-chain saturated fatty acids (DHAs) which are essential for
brain development, Horta suggested.
"The
amount of milk consumed (also) plays a role," he added.
In a
comment carried in the same journal, Erik Mortensen of the University of
Copenhagen said the findings had important public health implications.
"However,
these findings need to be corroborated by future studies designed to focus on
long-term effects and important life outcomes associated with
breastfeeding."
A positive
note was struck by leading British expert Colin Michie, Britain's Royal College
of Paediatrics and Child Health.
One of a
string of inquiries into breastfeeding in recent years, the study was
"very powerful" as it was exceptionally large and long-term, he said.
But, he
cautioned, "breastfeeding is one of many factors that can contribute to a
child’s outcomes."
Given the
many benefits of breastfeeding, it was essential for health watchdogs to
encourage the practice among mums, he said.
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