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Breast-feeding and cognitive development
1Division of Biometry and Risk Assessment, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709.
Insights
Breastfeeding showed small but significant benefits for cognitive development and school performance in middle-class children. These advantages, measured by developmental tests and report cards, persisted into school age.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
- Child Development
Background:
- Infant feeding practices are crucial for child development.
- Previous research suggests potential cognitive benefits of breastfeeding.
- Longitudinal data on the long-term effects of feeding mode are valuable.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of infant feeding mode on developmental scores.
- To assess the relationship between feeding method and school grades.
- To determine if breastfeeding confers lasting cognitive or academic advantages.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study of 855 newborns (1978-1982).
- Developmental assessments included Bayley Scales (6 months-2 years) and McCarthy Scales (3-5 years).
- School performance data collected via report cards from grade 3 onwards; multivariate analyses adjusted for confounders.
Main Results:
- Breast-fed children exhibited statistically significant, albeit small, increases in scores on Bayley and McCarthy tests from 2 to 5 years.
- Slightly higher English grades were observed in breast-fed children on report cards.
- These findings remained consistent in both crude and adjusted analyses.
Conclusions:
- Breastfeeding is associated with subtle but detectable cognitive and academic benefits extending to school age.
- The observed effects, while small, highlight the potential long-term impact of infant feeding choices.
- Findings are based on a predominantly white, middle-class sample, suggesting further research in diverse populations.
Abstract:
Eight-hundred fifty-five newborns were enrolled in a prospective study between 1978 and 1982 and then followed through school age. To determine whether the mode of infant feeding affected developmental scores or school grades, prospective data were collected on how the children were fed; 788 of the children had Bayley tests at 6 months, 720 at 12 months, 676 at 18 months and 670 at 2 years. McCarthy testing was done on 645 children at 3 years, 628 at 4 years and 636 at 5 years. Testers were not specifically blind to feeding method. The families provided report cards from grade 3 or higher for 366 children. There were statistically significant but small increases in scores among breast-fed children on at least some subscales of the Bayley and McCarthy at all time points from 2 years through 5 years and slightly higher English grades on report cards in both crude analyses and in multivariate analyses that allowed adjustment for the most plausible confounding variables. We conclude that, in a volunteer, 95% white sample of middle class children, those breast-fed scored slightly better than those bottle fed; the effect is small but still detectable at school age.