Breastfeeding: no IQ boost

Last updated: Thursday, October 05, 2006 Print Breastfeeding does not increase a baby's IQ, according to a British study that focused on a question that's been debated since 1929, when a link between breast-feeding and IQ was first identified.

The new study of more than 5 000 children and 3 000 mothers concluded that breastfed children tend to be smarter due to their mothers' influence, not because of breast-feeding itself, BBC News reported.

Mothers who breast-feed tend to be more intelligent, more highly educated, and more likely to provide a stimulating home environment than other mothers, said the study, published in the British Medical Journal.

The study was conducted by researchers at the UK Medical Research Council and the University of Edinburgh, BBC News reported. – (HealthDayNews)

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October 2006

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