Breastfeeding Makes for Brainier Babies: Scare Tactics or Hard Science?

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A study which has been all over the press reports research findings from the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, that children with one particular version of a particular gene scored higher in IQ tests, between the ages of five and thirteen, if they had been breastfed.

A study which has been all over the press reports research findings from the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, which used data from two previous studies of breastfed infants in Britain and New Zealand, involving more than 3,000 children, and found that children with one particular version of a particular gene scored higher in IQ tests, between the ages of five and thirteen, if they had been breastfed. The gene is not in itself an ‘intelligence gene’ but one which helps break down fatty acids from the diet. Some 90% of people carry it.

Previous studies have presented conflicting results and there has been considerable debate as to whether or not it is a class issue, with more educated and/or affluent mothers being more likely to breastfeed. The salient factors in this study, however, are genetics and nutrition, rather than the influence of upbringing and environment.

I remember lying in hospital, in the UK, after giving birth to my first baby and reading the information leaflets provided about breastfeeding. I am, myself, firmly convinced that breastfeeding is the best way to go for babies and mothers, yet I was shocked at the patronising tone in which they were written, which implied clearly that a woman who chose for whatever reason, or who had no choice but to bottle feed (this does happen, although I would say it is very rare if appropriate support is available), was bound to produce an unintelligent and unhealthy child. There was a clear lack of respect and sensitivity on display, and the seemingly blind fervor of those on the breastfeeding ‘side’, as they were portrayed, was possibly off-putting to those who may have started out with an open mind.

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At the same time, the benefits of breastfeeding for the health of the baby, and indeed the mother, with a lowered risk of cancer and heart disease, are extremely well documented, and the list of studies is growing, with this last one suggesting that the majority of babies receive not only the precise antibodies they need, but also optimum conditions for the development of their brains when they are fed with breast milk.

Professor Terrie Moffitt, a co-author on the paper spoke of the results study in terms of the nature/nurture debate, saying that here we could see the two factors interacting to create the best outcome. The question seems to be, how best to present information so that women can make the best choice freely. And how to give women, in the course of their maternity care and beyond, every possible kind of support to breastfeed, including listening seriously to their concerns, and treating them all with respect.

All clinical material on this site is peer reviewed by one or more clinical psychologists or other qualified mental health professionals. This specific article was originally published by on and was last reviewed or updated by Dr Greg Mulhauser, Managing Editor on .

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