A Brazilian study showed that babies who were breastfed grow up smarter and richer. During this study were followed participants for 30 years. And also it was found a connection between breastfeeding and higher intelligence and income in later life. During the study, around 3,500 children from Brazil, from their birth to adulthood. Babies who were breastfed longer time have higher intelligence at the age of 30 and higher incomes as well. This is the first study that directly assesses the influence of babies breastfeeding on income.
During the study, Dr. Bernardo Lessa tried to respond to the question of whether this will increase into better prospects and higher intelligence as an adult. In his study, the first proof was that babies breastfeeding increases intelligence until the age of 30 and influences the ability to learn and educational attainment.
This study showed that babies who had been breastfed for six months got the most of the benefits enjoyed by the ones who were breastfed longer. The age of the participants is not the only reason that makes this study uncommon. It was not referring to one socio-economic group, but it was spread out through the social classes.
In analyzing the results, it was taken into account family income at birth, genomic ancestry, maternal age, parental schooling, smoking during pregnancy, type of delivery, and birth weight to obviate the factors that are skewing the results.
Babies Breastfeed Benefits
By measuring by a standard IQ test it was discovered that the babies breastfed had higher intelligence, greater earnings, and had spent more years in education. The longer they had been breastfed, the better the benefits. Those kids that had been breastfed for one year had four points higher intelligence, also had one year’s more schooling, and gained about 70 dollars more per month than the ones that had been breastfed for a month.
Dr. Bernardo showed he could not rule out the possibility that mothers who breastfed their babies helped them to develop in other ways. He said that the effect is not by breastfeeding but because of the mothers who are different in their ability to stimulate the children. He also said that there was proof from some other researchers of the nutritional value of mother’s milk that is important for brain growth because of its content of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. It depends on the genotype of the babies whether they will get the intelligence benefit or not. Dr. Bernardo and his colleagues are trying to see if this happens in their group.
The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for half a year. Those babies who had been breastfed for half a year gained more benefits than the ones who were breastfed for a longer time. So, it is recommended mothers breastfeed their babies as long as they can, even if that is not easy for every woman. Only a quarter of mothers in the UK are breastfeeding their babies for six weeks.
“It is familiar to all that breastfeeding can protect babies from ear and chest infections. Breastfed babies are at no risk of sudden death and they are less likely to become obese. The important thing to see is that breastfeeding benefits for a longer period benefits the baby in the early years and also improves the ability to earn and increase intelligence. “– said Dr. Colin Michie, chair of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s nutrition committee.
The important thing to note is that one of the factors that can help the outcomes of a kid is breastfeeding. The research emphasizes the need for the promotion of prolonged babies breastfeeding so mothers are conscious of the breastfeeding benefits for their kids. Mothers who have given birth should be supported to continue breastfeeding as long as they are capable of doing it.