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Breast
Feeding Babies May Protect Against Leukemia
In an Associated Press story of
October 19, 1999 was a report of a new study that shows that breast fed babies
may up to 30% lower risk of developing leukemia.
These findings were also published in the October 20 issue of the Journal
of the National Cancer Institute. This
new research was performed by researchers at the University of Minnesota Cancer
Center. The results of the study
showed that the longer the babies were breast fed the more protected they were
against leukemia. Babies breast fed
for one month were 21% less at risk from leukemia, while those breast fed for
six months or more were 30% less likely to develop leukemia.
Dr. Les Robinson, the principle researcher, summed the results up as
follows; “We have long known of
breast-feeding’s health benefits in terms of protecting children from
infection. Now we have evidence to suggest its immune-stimulating effects may
provide another significant advantage, protection against cancer.” Breast-feeding
Increases
Cognitive
Development
in Children
Reuters Health reported on September
24, 1999 about an analysis performed at the University of Kentucky were
researchers reviewed 20 studies conducted between 1966 and 1996.
The researchers controlled for such variables as birthweight, education
and other factors. The results showed a significant
increase in cognitive development of 3.16 compared to formula fed babies.
The gains were more pronounced in babies born with a lower birth weight
than in children with normal birth weight.
The increases in cognitive development from breast-feeding were noticed
in children as early as six months of age and persisted up to 15 years of age,
the longest follow up of the study. The
authors of the study did note that several previous studies supported the
hypothesis that human breast milk does support neurological development. Breast Feeding Linked to Higher IQ
From a
study done at the University of Kentucky, reported in the Associated Press comes
the results showing a link between breast feeding and child intelligence.
The report states, “At least 60% of the average intelligence gain
seen in breast-fed infants comes from breast milk’s nutritional value.”
Researcher
James Anderson reviewed 20 different studies comparing brain development in
breast-fed infants to those fed formula. He
states, “Our study confirms that breast-feeding is accompanied by a about a
five-points higher IQ than in bottle-fed infants.”
He goes on to say, “Our best estimates are that maternal bonding and
the decision to breast feed account for about 40 percent of the increase, but
that 60 percent is related to the actual nutritional value of the breast
milk.” Breast Feeding, More is BetterFrom Reuters Health news service comes an article dated December 31, 1998 about breast feeding babies. The article starts by confirming what we have known for some time that infants who are fed only breast milk have stronger resistance to infection and therefore are at lowered risk of getting infections. Studies have shown that mother pass immunity-enhanced agent to their babies through breast milk. This results in babies less likely to suffer from respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses than those who are bottle-fed. Researchers found that the breast-fed babies had significantly less diarrhea, vomiting, cough, and wheezing in the first six months of life. The study also showed that those babies fed a higher portion of breast milk had higher resistance and lower rate of illness. Those babies fed a lower ratio of breast milk were increasingly more vulnerable to the illness mentioned. However, once the ratio of breast milk to other food hit a certain level where the food intake was higher than the breast milk, the results for the children were the same as those who were fed no breast milk at all. This study points out that the more breast milk fed to the infant the better. But if the amount of breast milk drops below a certain level, the beneficial effects are lost. |