Breastfeeding, overweight and asthma linked

Children who are breastfed for fewer than three months may become overweight and, hence, have an increased risk of developing asthma. In general, it is recommended that infants have only breast milk for the first six months of life, and then continue breastfeeding after starting solid foods, until at least the age of 12 months. However, some studies suggest that to ward off the asthma risk, exclusive breastfeeding for three months or more may be protective. Researchers at the University of Manitoba in Canada studied more than 700 children in the age group of 8–10 years, including 246 children with asthma and 477 without the lung disease. Their parents were made to fill out questionnaires on breastfeeding and other factors in the child's environment, such as whether anyone in the house smoked. It was found that a short duration of exclusive breastfeeding, i.e. fewer than 12 weeks, was only weakly tied to the risk of developing asthma. However, short-duration breastfeeding was more strongly linked to the risk of becoming overweight, which in turn elevated the asthma risk by 80 per cent. This relationship was particularly strong among children whose mothers had asthma. The relation between breastfeeding, weight and asthma can be attributed to the hormone called leptin, which helps regulate food intake by dampening feelings of hunger. Leptin is present in breast milk, and studies have found that breastfed infants tend to have higher blood levels of leptin than do bottle-fed babies. These higher leptin levels may help control weight gain early in life. There is also evidence that leptin may affect immune system function, possibly inhibiting the abnormal immune response that triggers allergies and asthma. Though further study is warranted in this regard, it is important that infants be breastfed for at least six months to prevent them from becoming overweight and from the risk of developing asthma.