Affiliation:
1. International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI‐IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Studies Tokyo Japan
Abstract
AbstractAimTo assess the dose–response association between the duration of any breastfeeding and cognitive skills in children from 5 to 15 years of age.MethodsThe data from the longitudinal cohort study Growing up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (children born in 1999–2000 and 2003–2004) were accessed. Language skills were assessed via Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test at 5, 7 and 9 years of age (N = 8643), and non‐verbal intelligence was assessed via Matrix Reasoning subtest from Wechsler Intelligence Scale at 7, 9 and 11 years of age (N = 8560) and executive functions were examined via Cogstate Cognitive Testing battery in 15 years old (N = 6213). Breastfeeding was assessed via maternal questionnaires, partly prospective.ResultsA longer duration of breastfeeding was significantly associated with greater language skills from 5 to 9 (0.05 [95% CI, 0.03–0.08], p < 0.0001) and greater non‐verbal intelligence from 7 to 11 years of age (0.02 [95% CI, 0.01–0.04], p < 0.001). No significant relation was found between the breastfeeding duration and executive functions in 15 years old.ConclusionThese results support a dose–response relationship between breastfeeding duration and language skills and non‐verbal intelligence during childhood and early adolescence.
Subject
General Medicine,Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health