A long-term study of 7,855 children clearly showed that children who were breastfed for six months or longer performed better in regular cognitive tests between the ages of 5 and 14 than non-breastfed children. The association between breastfeeding and high IQ scores was significant, even when factors such as mothers’ intelligence and economic status were taken into account.
The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding – this promotes the survival of infants and strengthens their overall health. Studies show that in addition to high nutritional value, breast milk contains antibodies that strengthen the baby’s immunity. There are also suggestions that fatty acids, minerals and vitamins provide everything necessary for the development of the brain and nervous system, so children who receive such food develop better, writes ZME Science.
However, despite the large number of studies, a clear link between high IQ tests and the duration of breastfeeding has not been found. However, it is difficult to separate the influence of other factors that also affect the results. For example, a child’s high intelligence may be due to the family’s income level or multilingual environment.
To eliminate possible barriers, the researchers analyzed data from 7,855 children under the age of 14 born between 2000 and 2002. They passed cognitive tests in 5, 7, 11 and 14 years, as well as tasks for physical development and memory. In addition, cognitive tests and socio-economic assessments were given to their mothers, who were divided into different groups depending on the results of vocabulary testing.
Comparing the results of different groups, the researchers concluded that children who were breastfed for six months or longer showed better results in tests of cognitive ability up to 14 years than children who did not receive breast milk at all.
“Some women have difficulty breastfeeding or continuing to breastfeed as much as they would like, while others choose not to breastfeed. It is important to remember that the potential increase in cognitive abilities is equivalent to two or three points in the IQ test (where the average value is 100). However, if the entire population increases their intelligence by 2-3 points on average, the difference will be significant,” – Dr. Reneé Pereyra-Elías explained.
A unique opportunity to study the impact of upbringing on the intelligence of twins raised in two different cultures has appeared in recent studies. Despite the fact that their brains developed identically, the general level of intelligence and nonverbal thinking differed markedly.
