Newsday reported that in the largest study to date on the topic, that children who were breastfed exclusively for at least three months had better intelligence scores later in life than those who received formula.

Breastfed children received better results in verbal, non- verbal and overall intelligence tests and significantly higher academic ratings in reading and writing at the age of six than those who received formula, according to a study in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

The World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund promote breastfeeding, which they say is cheaper, more convenient and may be healthier and better for cognitive development. The study’s findings confirm results from other research that has suggested a positive effect of breastfeeding on intelligence.

CanWest News Service reported that there may be a gene behind the breastfeeding IQ boost.

When it comes to intelligence, it seems breast milk really is best — but only for children with a certain genetic make-up. Scientists have identified a specific gene implicated in the link between breastfeeding and higher IQ in children, suggesting that biology — and not just socio-economics — is involved.

A study published Nov. 5 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has found that a variant of a gene involved in metabolizing the fatty acids in breast milk determines whether children get an IQ boost from breastfeeding — on average as much as seven points.

Canada.com reported that breastfeeding for longer may lessen weight troubles later in life. Nursing mothers who breastfeed for longer amounts of time may be helping their babies avoid weight troubles later in life, according to research. Results gleaned from 17 studies over the last 39 years suggest an association between the number of months babies are breastfed and the risk of being overweight.

Other factors include:

Breastfeeding may be associated with better bone health later in life. Some studies report greater bone density among women who have ever breastfed compared with women who have not breastfed. Click here for more details on this study

Breastfeeding may also protect mom from breast and ovarian cancer. Click here for more details on this study

Breastfeeding may promote infant acceptance of specific foods, such as fruits and veggies. A study published in Pediatrics found that breastfed infants whose mothers ate more fruits showed greater acceptance of peaches than infants whose mothers formula-fed. Click here for more details on this study

Breastfeeding may help you return to a healthy weight more easily because it requires a great deal of energy. Breastfeeding may also protect your baby from illnesses, such as ear infections, colds, and allergies, and may help lower your risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Click here for more details on this study

Breastfeeding may also reduce the risk of your baby developing allergies. Click here for more details on this study

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 at 6:20 pm and is filed under Baby Health, Breastfeeding. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.