Breastfeeding Is Important But No Evidence Of Intellectual Boost, New Study Reveals

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A new study suggests that there is no association between breastfeeding and intelligence. Children who were breastfed are instead less hyperactive the time they turned three as compared to non-breastfed counterparts.

According to Mail Online, the study done by researchers from University College Dublin involved an almost 8,000 children. Participants were tested at age three for their vocabulary and problem-solving skills. At the age of five, their teachers were also asked how these children improved. The result details were published in the journal Pediatrics.

The overall result indicates that kids, who were breastfed, had a bit higher score, NPR reported. "But the difference wasn't big enough to show statistical significance," Lisa-Christine Girard, the study author and a child-development researcher at University College Dublin said. This simply means that the discrepancies in scores were too little that researchers consider it a statistical wash.

"We weren't able to find a direct causal link between breastfeeding and children's cognitive outcomes," Girard told the news outlet. She added that their findings were not highly surprising. This is because aside from breastfeeding, lots of factors are also needed to influence the growth and intelligence of children.

The National Health Service (NHS) recommends mothers to sustain breastfeeding of their babies exclusively for the first six months. After that period, a mixture of breastmilk and food should be practiced for almost a year.

The study shows no significant link between breastfeeding and intelligence, but mothers are still to practice it for their kids' early source of nutrients. In addition, mothers passed through their breastmilk antibodies that strengthens their babies’ immune systems to help them fight infectious agents.

Breastfeeding provides children a higher intelligence level as compared to formula milk. It also reduces the risk of obesity since the latter contains more amount of fat. Mothers could burn up to 500 calories per day while breastfeeding, experts said. They have also the chance to bond with their babies.