Prolonged breastfeeding boosts a child’s IQ, finds study

Paris – A recent study advised parents to ensure they have breastfed their children for the longest time possible. The study has revealed that long breastfed children have well developed brains which leads to a higher intelligence score and is directly linked to the long-chain saturated fatty acids found in the breast milk.

“The IQ of a child into their adulthood is positively related to the milk consumed by a child hence predominant breastfeeding is of essence”. This is according to the lead author of the study and a professor at Federal University in Brazil, Bernardo Horta.

Apparently, it was expected that breastfeeding would be common among the highly educated but the study showed otherwise. The study sample of almost 3,500 babies and which was divided into five groups built around the length of time they had been breastfed while young showed that breastfeeding was evenly distributed.

A child who is breastfed for more than one year tends to gain more IQ points. That said, the study concluded that breastfeeding has its one list of benefits which include increased adult intelligence. The earnings are also deemed to be higher by a third of the average income at the age of 30 years and an increased length of schooling of 0.9 years. This is not the case for a child who breastfed for one month.

Babies who are well fed from day one are known to be well protected against chest and ear infections. In addition, they are not faced by the risk of sudden deaths while at their infant stages and are not likely to become obese later in life.

Many people may not believe this but the study emphasized that breastfeeding is one of the key factors that determines a child’s outcomes. Hence continued breastfeeding is of essence. However, majority of the mothers are well aware of this even as the chairman of Royal College of Paediatrics, Dr. Collin Michie confirmed that after giving birth mothers need all the support to enhance their breastfeeding.