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Breastfeeding and Health Outcomes for Infants and Children: A Systematic Review
Carrie D Patnode1, Nora B Henrikson2, Elizabeth M Webber1
1Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland, Oregon.
Pediatrics
|April 16, 2025
Summary
Breastfeeding is linked to reduced risks for numerous infant and child health issues, including infections, allergies, and chronic diseases. Further research is needed to address study limitations and confirm these benefits.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The evolving understanding of breastfeeding's impact on infant health necessitates ongoing review of scientific evidence.
- Human milk consumption offers specific benefits for infant development and well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review existing literature on the association between breastfeeding and various child health outcomes.
- To synthesize findings from existing systematic reviews and recent primary studies.
Main Methods:
- Conducted systematic literature searches in major databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL) for English-language articles from 2006 to August 2024.
- Included existing systematic reviews and primary studies focusing on term infants in developed countries, comparing breastfeeding exposures to child health outcomes.
- Extracted and synthesized data on study design, demographics, breastfeeding details, and health outcomes.
Main Results:
- Analysis of 29 existing systematic reviews and 145 primary studies revealed significant associations between breastfeeding and reduced risk for multiple conditions.
- Beneficial associations were observed for respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, otitis media, allergies, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, obesity, and infant mortality.
- No specific breastfeeding duration threshold was identified as universally most beneficial, and data on breastfeeding mode and source were limited.
Conclusions:
- Breastfeeding demonstrates a clear association with positive outcomes for several infant and child health conditions.
- Limitations in observational studies, including confounding factors and inconsistent reporting, highlight the need for further high-quality research.
- Continued research is essential to refine national breastfeeding guidelines and public health initiatives.
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