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Breastfeeding has clear short-term benefits, but its
long-term consequences on human capital are yet to
be established. Researchers aimed to assess whether
breastfeeding duration was associated with
intelligence quotient (IQ), years of schooling, and
income at the age of 30 years, in a setting where no
strong social patterning of breastfeeding exists.
A prospective, population-based birth cohort study
of neonates was launched in 1982 in Pelotas, Brazil.
Information about breastfeeding was recorded in
early childhood.
At 30 years of age, researchers studied the IQ
(Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, 3rd version),
educational attainment, and income of the
participants. For the analyses, we used multiple
linear regression with adjustment for ten
confounding variables and the G-formula.
From June 4, 2012, to Feb 28, 2013, of the 5914
neonates enrolled, information about IQ and
breastfeeding duration was available for 3493
participants.
In the crude and adjusted analyses, the durations of
total breastfeeding and predominant breastfeeding
(breastfeeding as the main form of nutrition with
some other foods) were positively associated with
IQ, educational attainment, and income.
Researchers identified dose-response associations
with breastfeeding duration for IQ and educational
attainment.
In the confounder-adjusted analysis, participants
who were breastfed for 12 months or more had higher
IQ scores, more years of education and higher
monthly incomes than did those who were breastfed
for less than 1 month. The results of a mediation
analysis suggested that IQ was responsible for 72%
of the effect on income.
For more information
Association between breastfeeding and intelligence,
educational attainment, and income at 30 years of
age: a prospective birth cohort study from Brazil
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