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Breastfeeding and risk of childhood asthma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Mike Xue1, Emily Dehaas2, Nagendra Chaudhary3

  • 1Dept of Family Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada.

ERJ Open Research
|December 16, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Breastfeeding duration and exclusivity are linked to reduced paediatric asthma risk. Longer or more exclusive breastfeeding is associated with a lower likelihood of developing asthma in children under seven years old.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Asthma is a prevalent chronic respiratory condition in children.
  • Breastfeeding is recognized for its numerous health benefits, but its specific impact on paediatric asthma development requires further clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and meta-analyze existing research on the association between breastfeeding and paediatric asthma.
  • To determine if breastfeeding duration and exclusivity influence the risk of asthma development in children.

Main Methods:

  • A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of studies from major databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, ProQuest).
  • Inclusion of retrospective and prospective cohort studies involving children under 18 years with reported breastfeeding exposure.
  • Primary outcome: physician or guideline-based diagnosis of asthma; Secondary outcome: asthma severity.

Main Results:

  • Analysis of 42 studies revealed that longer duration/more breastfeeding was associated with a lower risk of asthma (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.75-0.93).
  • Exclusive breastfeeding also showed a reduced risk of asthma (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.72-0.91).
  • A significant protective effect was observed in children aged 0-2 years (OR 0.73) and 3-6 years (OR 0.69), but not in those aged 7 years and older.

Conclusions:

  • Breastfeeding duration and exclusivity are significantly associated with a decreased risk of asthma in children.
  • The protective effect of breastfeeding against asthma is most pronounced in children under the age of seven years.
Abstract

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