Fast Facts – Breast Feeding Equals Smarter Babies

Babies who are breastfed for four months or more perform better on intelligence tests at age 21, a study has found.

Paediatric registrar Ryan Eisemann analysed data from more than 1600 people born in the 1980s whose mothers were part of the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy.

He found an association between those who were breastfed for at least four months and improved intelligence in early adulthood, even after adjusting for birthweight, prematurity, family socio-economic status and the mother’s education and IQ levels.