Breastfeeding Lowers Chronic Health Problems

People who were breastfed during the first few months of their lives are at a lower risk of developing chronic inflammation than others, researchers state.

Chronic inflammation is linked to higher chances of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders. The latest study by researchers at the Washington University in St. Louis found that young adults who were breastfed for three months or more were healthier than their peers.

"This study shows that birth weight and breastfeeding both have implications for children's health decades later," said Molly W. Metzger, PhD, assistant professor at the Brown School and a co-author of the study.

The study was based on data from the U.S. National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Researchers looked at parent surveys and C-reactive protein levels of the participants.

"Specifically, we are looking at the effects of these early factors on later levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker associated with risk for cardiovascular and metabolic disease," Metzger said in a news release. "Comparing the long-term effects of breastfeeding to the effects of clinical trials of statin therapy, we find breastfeeding to exert effects that are as large or larger."

Researchers said that study on sibling models even threw up similar results. In a sibling model, one child was breastfed while his/her sibling isn't. Such models control for genetic factors and provide strong evidence that breastfed babies are healthier than others.

The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.

The  World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that women breastfeed their babies for at least six months after delivery. Research has shown that breastfed babies have faster developing brains. Breastfeeding also benefits mothers as it strengthens bond between mother and child and protects women from certain cancers and even lowers risk for obesity and heart disease.