When I made reference to the 1929 Hoefer and Hardy study in my post directed
to Mr. Knox, I assumed that other LactNetters would know the reference.  My
apologies.

Hoefer and Hardy, in 1929, compared the cognitive development of children
who had been breastfed to those who had been formula-fed.  The breastfed
children were the offspring of recent immigrants to the US -- parents were
not educated, and at the lowest rungs of the socioeconomic ladder.  The
formula-fed children were the offspring of the well-educated, upper class,
Western Europe-descended US population who had lived in the US for several
generations already.  The breastfed children scored better than the
formula-fed children.  Thus, even when the other factors of socioeconomic
status and parents' educational levels were working against them, the
breastfed children scored better.

There was then a long gap in research on cognitive outcomes.  More recent
research has looked at cognitive outcomes at varying points downstream --
children at age 3 or 4 and also some in adulthood, and has taken into
account parents' socio-economic level and educational level.  All other
things being equal, the breastfed children consistently score better than
the formula-fed children.  One can only hope that formula is getting better
and better over the years.  No one wants children to be harmed by formula.
Except perhaps the parent companies of the formula producers, who also make
antibiotics.  Sorry -- couldn't resist.  And I'm sure they would argue that
there's no real harm in causing an ear infection with formula (which makes
them money) and then suring the ear infection with antibiotics (which makes
them money).  Sure the child is miserable for a few days, and the parents
may lose some work time, and worry, and have to put up with a crying baby,
but no real harm done.  Right?

Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anthropology and Nutrition
Texas A&M University
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