Breastfeeding Duration and Cognitive Performance Among Youths.
Xiaoqian Tang1,2, Yuqing Qiu1,2, Zhouyi Qin1,2
1Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Children and Adolescents' Health and Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
JAMA Network Open
|April 23, 2026
Summary
Longer breastfeeding duration is linked to better cognitive outcomes in Chinese youth, especially after accounting for socioeconomic status. This highlights the importance of supporting breastfeeding for cognitive development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Breastfeeding duration's impact on cognitive development is debated, with socioeconomic status (SES) often confounding results.
- Understanding this association across diverse socioeconomic contexts is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between breastfeeding duration and cognitive performance in Chinese youth.
- To investigate if SES influences the breastfeeding-cognition association.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of China Family Panel Studies data (n=5436) for youths aged 10-15.
- Cognitive assessment via mathematics and word recognition tests; breastfeeding duration categorized as ≤6 months vs >6 months.
- Adjusted for demographic, perinatal, and socioeconomic factors using generalized linear models and restricted cubic splines.
Main Results:
- Unadjusted analyses showed no significant association between breastfeeding duration and cognitive scores.
- After adjusting for SES, longer breastfeeding (>6 months) was associated with higher mathematics and word recognition scores.
- Longer breastfeeding was more prevalent in lower SES households, suggesting a potential confounding effect.
Conclusions:
- Longer breastfeeding duration is associated with improved cognitive performance in Chinese youth, particularly when SES is considered.
- Findings suggest that policies supporting breastfeeding may benefit cognitive development, especially in lower SES populations.
- Further longitudinal research is recommended to confirm these associations.
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