Benefits For Baby—Published Studies

A selected list of recently published studies describing differences in health outcome associated with method of infant feeding is summarized below. The studies have all adjusted for social and economic variables.

Artificially fed babies are at greater risk of:

infectious illnesses (gastro-intestinal, respiratory, urinary tract, ear)

allergic diseases (eczema, asthma, and wheezing)

insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

necrotizing enterocolitis

Numerous studies indicate that breast-fed babies may have better:

neurological development

and

higher adult intelligence

Other studies on health and breast-feeding offer further compelling evidence on the health benefits of breast-feeding to infants, including a reduced risk of:

obesity

childhood cancers

sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

infectious illnesses (gastro-intestinal, respiratory, urinary tract, ear)