Breast-feeding enhances kids' eyesight

Breast-fed children are significantly more likely to do well in measures of vision than are those who received formula feeds during infancy. The following study adds to the growing evidence that breast-feeding has long-term benefits for visual development. A higher concentration of the fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in breast milk as compared to formula milk has been proposed as one explanation for this effect and this has been a rationale for adding DHA to infant formula. Researchers from the Institute of Child Health, London, studied 78 previously breast-fed and 184 previously formula-fed children ages 4 to 6 years who were followed prospectively from birth. In the first 6 months of life, the formula-fed group was randomly assigned to formula with or without supplementation with DHA or arachidonic acid. When they were tested, breast-fed children were significantly more likely to have greater stereo vision than did children in either formula-fed group. There were no significant differences between children who did or did not receive formula containing DHA. The researchers concluded that the findings support the hypothesis that breast-feeding benefits long-term stereoscopic development, though the mechanisms involved were not sow ell understood but this benefit does not seem to be explained by the presence of certain omega 3 fatty acids - DHA - in human milk.