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Exclusive breast-feeding for at least 4 months protects against otitis media
1Department of Pediatrics, Steele Memorial Children's Research Center, Tucson, AZ 85724.
Insights
Exclusive breastfeeding for at least four months significantly reduces acute and recurrent otitis media in infants. This protective effect against ear infections was observed independently of other known risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Otitis media is a common childhood illness.
- Breastfeeding is known to have health benefits for infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and otitis media.
- To assess if breastfeeding protects against acute and recurrent otitis media independently of other risk factors.
Main Methods:
- A review of records for 1220 infants from the Tucson Children's Respiratory Study.
- Prospective data collection on breastfeeding duration, exclusivity, and potential risk factors.
- Defined acute otitis media and recurrent otitis media as outcome variables.
Main Results:
- Infants exclusively breastfed for 4+ months had half the mean number of acute otitis media episodes compared to non-breastfed infants.
- Exclusive breastfeeding for 6+ months showed a 10% rate of recurrent otitis media, versus 20.5% for less than 4 months.
- The protective effect of breastfeeding was independent of socioeconomic status, gender, daycare, maternal smoking, and family history of allergy.
Conclusions:
- Exclusive breastfeeding for four or more months offers significant protection against otitis media.
- This protection extends to both single and recurrent episodes of the ear infection.
- Findings support breastfeeding as a key preventive strategy for infant otitis media.
Objective:
This study was designed to assess the relation of exclusive breast-feeding, independent of recognized risk factors, to acute and recurrent otitis media in the first 12 months of life.
Methods:
Records of 1220 infants who used a health maintenance organization and who were followed during their first year of life as part of the Tucson Children's Respiratory Study were reviewed. Detailed prospective information about the duration and exclusiveness of breast-feeding was obtained, as was information relative to potential risk factors (socioeconomic status, gender, number of siblings, use of day care, maternal smoking, and family history of allergy). Acute otitis media and recurrent otitis media, defined as three or more episodes of acute otitis media in a 6-month period or four episodes in 12 months, were the outcome variables.
Results:
Of the 1013 infants followed for their entire first year, 476 (47%) had at least one episode of otitis and 169 (17%) had recurrent otitis media. Infants exclusively breast-fed for 4 or more months had half the mean number of acute otitis media episodes as did those not breastfed at all and 40% less than those infants whose diets were supplemented with other foods prior to 4 months. The recurrent otitis media rate in infants exclusively breast-fed for 6 months or more was 10% and was 20.5% in those infants who breast-fed for less than 4 months. This protection was independent of the risk factors considered.
Conclusion:
These findings suggest that exclusive breast-feeding of 4 or more months protected infants from single and recurrent episodes of otitis media.