Breast-feeding is associated with improved lung function at school age, particularly in children of asthmatic mothers, according to a new study from researchers in Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
"In our cohort of school age children, breast-feeding was associated with modest improvement in forced mid-expiratory flow (FEF50) in our whole group and with improvements in forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV1) only in the children of asthmatic mothers," Claudia E. Kuehni, MD, MSc, professor at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Bern in Switzerland, said in a news release.
"In contrast, some earlier studies have suggested that breast-feeding might be harmful in the offspring of mothers with asthma."
The researchers analyzed data from a nested sample of 1,458 children from the Leicestershire cohort studies, born between 1993 and 1997 in the UK. They assessed duration of breast-feeding, other exposures and respiratory symptoms by repeated questionnaires. Post-bronchodilator FVC, FEV1, peak expiratory flow rates (PEF), FEF50 and skinprick tests were measured at age 12.
In the entire sample of children, FEF50 was significantly higher in breast-fed children compared with those who were not breast-fed, increasing by 0.130 liters per second in those breast-fed for four to six months and 0.164 liters per second in those breast-fed for more than six months.
These effects were larger among children of mothers with asthma, with increases of 0.375 liters per second in those breast-fed for four to six months and 0.468 liters per second in those breast-fed for more than six months. Significant improvements in FVC and FEV1with breast-feeding were seen only in the children of asthmatic mothers. Adjustments for respiratory infections in infancy and asthma and atopy in childhood did not change the results of these analyses.
The study had several limitations, the authors noted, including a modest response rate of the original cohort for laboratory examinations and the use of self-reporting for determining duration of breast-feeding, maternal asthma and infections during infancy.
"We observed modest improvements in lung function in breast-fed children in our cohort, including the children of mothers with asthma," Kuehni said. "Furthermore, our data suggest that rather than acting by reducing respiratory infections, asthma or allergy, breast-feeding might have a direct effect on lung growth.
"This study supports a strong recommendation for breast-feeding in all children, including those with asthmatic mothers."
The findings were published Feb. 3 online ahead of print publication in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, a publication of the American Thoracic Society.
"In our cohort of school age children, breast-feeding was associated with modest improvement in forced mid-expiratory flow (FEF50) in our whole group and with improvements in forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV1) only in the children of asthmatic mothers," Claudia E. Kuehni, MD, MSc, professor at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Bern in Switzerland, said in a news release.
"In contrast, some earlier studies have suggested that breast-feeding might be harmful in the offspring of mothers with asthma."
The researchers analyzed data from a nested sample of 1,458 children from the Leicestershire cohort studies, born between 1993 and 1997 in the UK. They assessed duration of breast-feeding, other exposures and respiratory symptoms by repeated questionnaires. Post-bronchodilator FVC, FEV1, peak expiratory flow rates (PEF), FEF50 and skinprick tests were measured at age 12.
In the entire sample of children, FEF50 was significantly higher in breast-fed children compared with those who were not breast-fed, increasing by 0.130 liters per second in those breast-fed for four to six months and 0.164 liters per second in those breast-fed for more than six months.
These effects were larger among children of mothers with asthma, with increases of 0.375 liters per second in those breast-fed for four to six months and 0.468 liters per second in those breast-fed for more than six months. Significant improvements in FVC and FEV1with breast-feeding were seen only in the children of asthmatic mothers. Adjustments for respiratory infections in infancy and asthma and atopy in childhood did not change the results of these analyses.
The study had several limitations, the authors noted, including a modest response rate of the original cohort for laboratory examinations and the use of self-reporting for determining duration of breast-feeding, maternal asthma and infections during infancy.
"We observed modest improvements in lung function in breast-fed children in our cohort, including the children of mothers with asthma," Kuehni said. "Furthermore, our data suggest that rather than acting by reducing respiratory infections, asthma or allergy, breast-feeding might have a direct effect on lung growth.
"This study supports a strong recommendation for breast-feeding in all children, including those with asthmatic mothers."
The findings were published Feb. 3 online ahead of print publication in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, a publication of the American Thoracic Society.
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