Prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding reduces the risk of infectious diseases in infancy

Pediatrics. 2010 Jul;126(1):e18-25. doi: 10.1542/peds.2008-3256. Epub 2010 Jun 21.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the associations of duration of exclusive breastfeeding with infections in the upper respiratory (URTI), lower respiratory (LRTI), and gastrointestinal tracts (GI) in infancy.

Methods: This study was embedded in the Generation R Study, a population-based prospective cohort study from fetal life onward in the Netherlands. Rates of breastfeeding during the first 6 months (never; partial for <4 months, not thereafter; partial for 4-6 months; exclusive for 4 months, not thereafter; exclusive for 4 months, partial thereafter; and exclusive for 6 months) and doctor-attended infections in the URTI, LRTI, and GI until the age of 12 months were assessed by questionnaires and available for 4164 subjects.

Results: Compared with never-breastfed infants, those who were breastfed exclusively until the age of 4 months and partially thereafter had lower risks of infections in the URTI, LRTI, and GI until the age of 6 months (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.65 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.51-0.83]; aOR: 0.50 [CI: 0.32-0.79]; and aOR: 0.41 [CI: 0.26-0.64], respectively) and of LRTI infections between the ages of 7 and 12 months (aOR: 0.46 [CI: 0.31-0.69]). Similar tendencies were observed for infants who were exclusively breastfed for 6 months or longer. Partial breastfeeding, even for 6 months, did not result in significantly lower risks of these infections.

Conclusions: Exclusive breastfeeding until the age of 4 months and partially thereafter was associated with a significant reduction of respiratory and gastrointestinal morbidity in infants. Our findings support health-policy strategies to promote exclusive breastfeeding for at least 4 months, but preferably 6 months, in industrialized countries.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Breast Feeding / statistics & numerical data*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Communicable Disease Control / methods*
  • Communicable Diseases / epidemiology
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Diarrhea, Infantile / epidemiology
  • Diarrhea, Infantile / immunology
  • Diarrhea, Infantile / prevention & control*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gastroenteritis / epidemiology
  • Gastroenteritis / immunology
  • Gastroenteritis / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Netherlands
  • Odds Ratio
  • Primary Prevention / methods
  • Prospective Studies
  • Reference Values
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / epidemiology
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / immunology
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / prevention & control*
  • Risk Assessment
  • Time Factors