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Subject:
From:
Shirley Gross/Les Wallace <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 1 Jan 1998 17:11:06 -0700
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Greetings Fellow Lactnetters,

Life has been a little too busy to post a lot lately but the following is an
abstract of a very interesting article.  The whole text is available at the
following site:

http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/101/1/e9#T1
_____________________________________________________________


PEDIATRICS Vol. 101 No. 1 January 1998, p. e9

Breastfeeding and Later Cognitive and Academic Outcomes

L. John Horwood and David M. Fergusson, From the Christchurch Health and
Development Study, Christchurch School of Medicine, Christchurch, New Zealand.

ABSTRACT

Objective.  This study examines the associations between duration of
breastfeeding and childhood
cognitive ability and academic achievement over the period from 8 to 18
years using data collected
during the course of an 18-year longitudinal study of a birth cohort of
>1000 New Zealand children.

Method.  During the period from birth to age 1 year, information was
collected on maternal
breastfeeding practices. Over the period from 8 to 18 years, sample members
were assessed on a
range of measures of cognitive and academic outcomes including measures of
child intelligence quotient; teacher ratings of
school performance; standardized tests of reading comprehension,
mathematics, and scholastic ability; pass rates in school
leaving examinations; and leaving school without qualifications.

Results.  Increasing duration of breastfeeding was associated with
consistent and statistically significant increases in 1)
intelligence quotient assessed at ages 8 and 9 years; 2) reading
comprehension, mathematical ability, and scholastic ability
assessed during the period from 10 to 13 years; 3) teacher ratings of
reading and mathematics assessed at 8 and 12 years;
and 4) higher levels of attainment in school leaving examinations. Children
who were breastfed for 8 months had mean test
scores that were between 0.35 and 0.59 SD units higher than children who
were bottle-fed.

Mothers who elected to breastfeed tended to be older; better educated; from
upper socioeconomic status families; were in
a two-parent family; did not smoke during pregnancy; and experienced above
average income and living standards.
Additionally, rates of breastfeeding increased with increasing birth weight,
and first-born children were more likely to be
breastfed.

Regression adjustment for maternal and other factors associated with
breastfeeding reduced the associations between
breastfeeding and cognitive or educational outcomes. Nonetheless, in 10 of
the 12 models, fitted duration of breastfeeding
remained a significant predictor of later cognitive or educational outcomes.
After adjustment for confounding factors,
children who were breastfed for 8 months had mean test scores that were
between 0.11 and 0.30 SD units higher than
those not breastfed.

Conclusions.  It is concluded that breastfeeding is associated with small
but detectable increases in child cognitive ability
and educational achievement. These effects are 1) pervasive, being reflected
in a range of measures including standardized
tests, teacher ratings, and academic outcomes in high school; and 2)
relatively long-lived, extending throughout childhood
into young adulthood.

Happy New Year to all,

Shirley Gross

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