Breastfeeding Boosts Brain Power
A new study from Perth's The Kids for Child Health Research has found that children who are mainly breastfed for the first six months (or longer) score significantly higher academically at 10 years of age, especially boys.
The study, "Breastfeeding Duration and Academic Achievement at 10 Years," will be published in the January 2011 issue of leading international journal Pediatrics (published online Dec. 20).
The analysis was drawn from data from the ground breaking Raine Study, which has followed the growth and development of more 2,800 children born in WA between 1989-1991.
Academic data was collected for 1,038 eligible children at 10 years of age. After adjusting for gender, family income, and maternal verbal interaction, boys were found to have improved academic scores in math, reading and spelling if they were breastfed for six months or longer. There was a small benefit for reading in girls.
Report co-author Associate Professor Wendy Oddy said the study provided more evidence of the benefits of breastfeeding for six months or longer.
"There are a number of ways that breastfeeding may boost academic achievement. We know that there are vital nutrients in breast milk that support brain development, particularly in terms of long-chain fatty acids," Dr Oddy said.
"Previous studies have shown that breastfeeding accelerates boys maturation. Males are also known to be more vulnerable to adversity during critical periods of development than females, therefore the neuro-protective effect of estrodiols, the female hormones, in breast milk, would have greater benefits for boys.
Breastfeeding also has a positive effect on the mother-child relationship, thereby facilitating bonding, interaction and indirectly, cognitive growth. A number of studies have found that male babies are more dependent on maternal attention to help develop their cognitive and language skills."
Institute Director Professor Fiona Stanley said the study demonstrates the need for the community to provide more help and support to women to breastfeed.
"It is important that breastfeeding beyond six months is seen as the normal thing to do. Equally, women who don't breastfeed, often for a range of reasons, should be reassured that there are other ways they can encourage the academic development of their child.
"While there was a modest effect of breast-feeding, the most significant predictor of educational ability was the time spent by the parent(s) reading with the child when they were young. This highlights the important role of a nurturing environment in child learning."
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Source:
Oddy WH, et al "Breastfeeding duration and academic achievement at 10 years" Pediatrics 2010; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009-3489
About the Raine Study
The Raine Study is jointly conducted by The Kids for Child Health Research and The School of Women's and Infant's Health at the University of Western Australia. The study started in 1989, when 2900 pregnant women were recruited into a research study at King Edward Memorial Hospital to examine ultrasound imaging. The mothers were assessed during pregnancy and information was collected on the mother and the father, for example diet, exercise, work, health, etc. After the children were born, they were assessed at birth, at one year, then two, three and five years of age. Further follow-ups of the cohort have been conducted at eight, ten, fourteen, seventeen and now twenty years of age. Find out more at www.rainestudy.org.au