Breastfeeding
Protects Against Leukemia
Breastfeeding Protects Against Leukemia
Study finds the longer babies breastfeed, the lower their risk of leukemia  Breastfeeding lowers the risk of some forms of childhood leukemia, researchers have recently discovered. The news comes after smaller studies found no significant evidence that breastfeeding protects against leukemia. A team of researchers from the University of Minnesota Cancer Center reveal in a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute that breastfed infants have up to a 30 percent lower risk of developing leukemia than bottle fed babies. "We have long known of breastfeeding's health benefits in terms of protecting children from infection," said researcher Dr. Leslie L. Robison. "Now we have evidence to suggest its immune-stimulating effects may provide another significant advantage - protection against cancer." The researchers studied 2,200 children with acute leukemia and another 2,400 children who served as a control group. Breastfeeding information was obtained through phone interviews with the children's mothers. Results of the study showed infants that breastfed for at least one month had a 21 percent lower risk of developing leukemia. For infants who breastfed for six months or longer, the leukemia risk was reduced by up to 30 percent. The American Academy of Pediatrics has long recommended breastfeeding as way of protecting infants from infection because breast milk contains substances that combat disease. Other recent studies have found that breastfed infants tested more than five IQ points higher than formula fed infants. The Abstract for the leukemia study noted above can be found at the Journal of the National Cancer Institute |
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