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Attention behaviour and hyperactivity at age 4 and duration of breast-feeding

Jordi Julvez1, Núria Ribas-Fitó, Maria Forns

  • 1Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology, Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica, Barcelona, Spain. jjulvez@imim.es

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|June 1, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Long-term breast-feeding is linked to better behavior in children. Extended breastfeeding is associated with improved executive function, social skills, and fewer attention and hyperactivity issues.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Behavioral Science
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Previous studies link longer breastfeeding to enhanced cognitive development.
  • The impact of prolonged breastfeeding on child behavior remains less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between long-term breastfeeding and behavioral outcomes in young children.
  • To assess the relationship between breastfeeding duration and executive function, social competence, attention, and hyperactivity.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective population-based birth cohorts in Spain (Menorca and Ribera d'Ebre) followed children to age 4.
  • Neuropsychological functions, attention-hyperactivity behaviors (DSM-IV ADHD criteria), and social behavior were assessed by psychologists and teachers.

Main Results:

  • Long-term breastfeeding (>20 weeks) correlated with higher executive function scores.
  • Breastfeeding longer than 12 weeks was associated with improved social competence and reduced attention-deficit hyperactivity symptoms.

Conclusions:

  • Prolonged breastfeeding is associated with positive behavioral outcomes in children.
  • Findings suggest breastfeeding duration influences neuropsychological and socio-behavioral development, including attention and hyperactivity levels.
Abstract

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