Breastfeeding Duration and Cognitive Development at 2 and 3 Years of Age in the EDEN Mother–Child Cohort

• Published in: The Journal of pediatrics 2013-07, Vol.163 (1), p.36-42.e1
• Main Authors: Bernard, Jonathan Y., MSc, De Agostini, Maria, PhD, Forhan, Anne, MPH, Alfaiate, Toni, MPH, Bonet, Mercedes, PhD, Champion, Valérie, MSc, Kaminski, Monique, PhD, de Lauzon-Guillain, Blandine, PhD, Charles, Marie-Aline, MD, PhD, Heude, Barbara, PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; breast feeding; Breast Feeding - statistics & numerical data; Child Development; Child, Preschool; Cognition; cognitive development; Cohort Studies; dose response; education; Female; Humans; inventories; linear models; Male; motor development; Pediatrics; preschool children; problem solving; Prospective Studies; questionnaires; socioeconomic status; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0022-3476; 1097-6833
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.11.090

Objective To investigate the dose–response relationship between breastfeeding duration and cognitive development in French preschool children. Study design In the French EDEN Mother–Child Cohort Study, we evaluated language ability with the Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) in 1387 2-year-old children and overall development with the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) in 1199 3-year-old children. Assessments were compared between breastfed and non-breastfed children and also according to breastfeeding duration in multivariable linear models, controlling for a wide range of potential confounders. We tested departure from linearity. Results After adjustments, ever-breastfed children scored 3.7 ± 1.8 ( P = .038) points higher than never-breastfed children on the CDI and 6.2 ± 1.9 ( P = .001) points higher on the ASQ. Among breastfed children, exclusive and any-breastfeeding durations were positively associated with both CDI and ASQ scores. The fine motor domain of ASQ was associated with any-breastfeeding duration, and the problem solving domain with exclusive-breastfeeding duration. We did not observe significant departures from linearity. No interactions were found between the child's sex, parental education or socioeconomic status, and breastfeeding duration. Conclusion Longer breastfeeding duration was associated with better cognitive and motor development in 2- and 3-year-old children and a dose–response relationship was suggested.