Studies show breastfeeding helps with allergies, asthma and obesity

In yet another study revealing the amazing benefits of breastfeeding over formula feeding, Australian researchers followed 2,195 children for six years to evaluate the effects of breastfeeding on asthma, allergy and obesity.

The exclusively breastfed babies had a lower incidence of asthma and other allergic disease. Most interesting of all, every month of additional breastfeeding resulted in a 4% reduction in the risk of asthma.

Other studies discovered that adolescents who were not breastfed as infants had a higher risk of being overweight than breastfed children.

Breastfeeding into the toddler years should be the norm – it is one of the best things that can be done to ensure a child’s long-term health and well being.

Resources:

1.Oddy WH et al. The relation of breastfeeding and body mass index to asthma and atopy in children: prospective cohort study to age 6 years. American Journal Public Health. 2004;94(9):1531-1537.

2.Silfverdal SA et al. Protective effect of breastfeeding on invasive Haemophilus influenzae infection: a case-control study in Swedish preschool children. International Journal of Epidemiology. 1997;26(2):443-450.

3.Gillman MW et al. Risk of overweight among adolescents who were breastfed as infants. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2001;285(19):2461-2467.