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Breastfeeding and IQ Growth from Toddlerhood through Adolescence

Sophie von Stumm1, Robert Plomin2

  • 1Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London, London, United Kingdom.

Plos One
|September 26, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Breastfeeding shows minimal impact on cognitive development. While a slight early IQ boost was observed in girls, it did not influence long-term cognitive growth trajectories in either sex.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatrics
  • Behavioral Genetics

Background:

  • The relationship between breastfeeding and cognitive development remains a subject of ongoing scientific debate.
  • Conclusive empirical evidence supporting significant cognitive benefits of breastfeeding is still lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between breastfeeding and intelligence quotient (IQ) growth trajectories from early childhood through adolescence.
  • To differentiate the impact of breastfeeding on initial IQ levels versus IQ gains over time.

Main Methods:

  • Latent growth curve modeling was employed to analyze IQ data from 11,582 twins in the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS).
  • Breastfeeding status (yes/no) was examined as a predictor of IQ intercept, slope, and quadratic growth factors.
  • Analyses were adjusted for socioeconomic status, maternal age at birth, and gestational stage.

Main Results:

  • Breastfeeding was associated with a small, significant IQ advantage at age 2 in girls, but not in boys.
  • No significant association was found between breastfeeding and subsequent IQ growth factors (slope or quadratic) in either girls or boys.

Conclusions:

  • Breastfeeding appears to offer limited benefits for early childhood intelligence and cognitive development extending into adolescence.
  • The findings suggest that breastfeeding's impact on cognitive growth trajectories is minimal.
Abstract

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