Breastfeeding does not improve a child’s intelligence, despite the widespread belief that “breast is best” for IQ, according to a new study.
Scientist from Goldsmiths, University of London have recently completed research on 11,000 British children, and have found “no reliable association between breastfeeding and higher IQ at age two.”
Nor was breastfeeding related to improvements in intelligence as children grew up.
This differs from several previous both British and international studies where links between higher IQs and being breastfed have been suggested. There has, however, always been a debate about these studies, as many think findings are skewed by the fact that those from less deprived groups are more likely to breastfeed.
The British researchers used data from the Twins Early Development Study, which was set up to attempt to disentangle the impact of “nature and nurture” on children, involving identical twins, who share all the same genes, and non-identical twins.
This is what study co-leader, Dr Sophie von Stumm, from Goldsmiths, University of London, had to say:”Many researchers have previously investigated whether being breastfed in early life benefits IQ. However, few of the earlier studies have employed strong research designs that produce reliable results. Children – and adults – differ in their cognitive abilities, and it is important to identify factors that give rise to these differences.”<
Only recently did a Brazilian study, who traced nearly 3,500 babies, find that hat those who had been breastfed for longer went on to gain better scores in adult IQ tests.
However Dr von Stumm said: “Mothers should be aware that they are not harming their child if they choose not to, or cannot, breastfeed. Being bottle fed as an infant won’t cost your child a chance at a university degree later in life.”
The doctor and the rest of her team of researcher stressed however, that breastfeeding absolutely has other benefits – for example in relation to building a child’s immune system.
Midwives interviewed by the Telegraph in relation to this study underlined this:
“Breastfeeding provides the best nutrition for babies and helps protect against infections.”
The official government guidelines state that “babies should be exclusively breastfed for six months, but that in an event where the the mother is not able to breastfeed, infant formula is the only alternative to breast milk for babies under 12 months old.”
