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Abstract
Research on the effects of breastfeeding on child cognitive development has produced conflicting results, and many studies do not account for infant stimulation in the home. The aim of this study is to determine whether breastfeeding predicts enhanced cognitive development in one-year-old infants after controlling for the main socio-economic and environmental factors, including stimulation in the home. This cross-sectional observational study involved 137 infants and their mothers. Information on maternal socio-demographic factors and breastfeeding practices was obtained through semi-structured interview. Stimulation in the home was measured using the HOME Inventory. Cognitive development was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Mean cognitive scores were significantly higher in breast-fed infants (110) compared with formula-fed infants (105). Breastfeeding duration had a positive linear association with cognitive scores at one year. In linear regression, the adjusted standardised beta for breastfeeding was 0.285, which remained significant after adjusting for confounding variables. Our data suggest that breastfeeding for more than a month may have a beneficial effect on cognitive development, and that there is a dose–response relationship between breastfeeding duration and cognitive development. These relationships are independent of the main confounding variables, including stimulation in the home.
Acknowledgements
Dr Andrew Percy advised on statistical analysis. Emeritus Professor Dorota Iwaniec was co-Principal Investigator of the GLAD study with Dr Moira Stewart. Dr Helga Sneddon was the study coordinator and commented on an earlier draft of the article. Dr Zeinab Abdelrahim, Dr Sarah Allen, Dr Laura Dunne, Aideen Gildea, Lorrainne McErlean, Dr Angela O'Rawe and Seaneen Sloan were researchers on the study and collected the data. This work was funded by the Research and Development Office of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Northern Ireland, through the Child Health and Welfare Recognised Research Group.