Breastfed Children Have Stronger Lungs

The list of breastfeeding benefits gets longer every day! Recent research published in the journal Thorax shows that children who are breastfed for at least 4 months have stronger lungs and better lung function than other children. The study monitored over 1,000 children born on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom between 1989 and 1990 until they were 10 years old. Approximately one third of the children were breastfed for at least 4 months, while the rest had never been breastfed at all or had been breastfed for less than 4 months. Every child had regular health check-ups and their lung function was assessed at 10 years old. The children who had been breastfed for at least 4 months had better lung function and were able to breathe out more air quicker than the other children at the age of 10. In addition, the researchers observed that even children with mothers who had a history of asthma and/or allergies benefited from breastfeeding in regard to their lung function.

The research team believes that particular components in breast milk helps to boost lung health in children. They feel that the actual act of breastfeeding may strengthen respiratory muscles. Dr Ikechukwu Ogbuanu, from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, states, “This paper adds to the evidence supporting the promotion of prolonged breastfeeding for the improvement of lung volume in late childhood."

Dr. Elaine Vickers from Asthma UK, which funded part of the study, says, “While the results of the study don't focus specifically on asthma, the researchers were able to demonstrate that children breastfed for 4 months or longer had better lung function than those who weren’t breastfed at all, or who were breastfed for less than 4 months. Asthma UK supports current advice from the Department of Health, which states that where possible, babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life.”