Related Experiment Videos
Does breastfeeding protect children from asthma? Analysis of NHANES III survey data
G S Rust1, C J Thompson, P Minor
1National Center for Primary Care, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30310, USA.
Insights
Breastfeeding does not appear to prevent childhood asthma, delay its onset, or reduce severity. Other factors like maternal age and parental history of asthma are significant predictors. Breastfeeding remains recommended for its other health benefits.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood asthma is a significant public health concern.
- The potential protective role of breastfeeding against asthma development and progression is debated.
- Understanding risk factors for childhood asthma is crucial for prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if breastfeeding, either initiation or duration, protects against childhood asthma.
- To determine if breastfeeding influences asthma severity or age of onset.
- To identify other predictive factors for childhood asthma.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (1988-94) youth data.
- Included 6,783 children aged 2 months to 6 years, with 3,316 breastfed.
- Logistic and linear regression models were used to analyze the relationship between breastfeeding and asthma outcomes, controlling for potential confounders.
Main Results:
- Ever breastfeeding was not a significant protective factor for developing asthma.
- Maternal age at birth and parental history of asthma/hayfever were significant predictors of asthma development.
- Breastfeeding duration did not predict the age of asthma onset; maternal smoking during pregnancy was a significant predictor.
- Breastfeeding did not appear to prevent asthma, delay onset, or reduce severity.
Conclusions:
- Breastfeeding does not demonstrate a protective effect against the development, severity, or age of onset of childhood asthma in this cohort.
- Maternal smoking during pregnancy is a significant predictor of earlier asthma onset.
- Despite not preventing asthma, breastfeeding is still recommended for its numerous established health benefits.
Abstract:
We sought to determine whether breastfeeding (yes/no) or its duration protects against the development of childhood asthma, its severity or age of onset. We conducted a secondary analysis of youth files of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (1988-94), and reviewed data from 6,783 children age 2 months to 6 years (3,316 breastfed), excluding children with a history of low birth weight or treatment in a neonatal intensive care unit. Study participants were breastfed an average of 157 days. The average age at onset of asthma was 14.3 months. In the logistic regression model, "ever breast-fed" was not a significant protective factor for developing asthma. Significant predictive factors were the mother's age at child's birth (beta = -0.08, p < 0.01), and a parent having asthma or hayfever (beta = 0.46, p < 0.01). In the linear regression model, the duration of breastfeeding was not a predictor for age at onset of asthma (beta = 0.01, p = 0.53). Only maternal smoking during pregnancy was a significant predictor of age at onset of asthma (beta = -7.59, p < 0.01). Breastfeeding does not appear to prevent asthma, delay its onset, or reduce its severity. However, breastfeeding is still recommended for its many other benefits.