Long breastfeeding could save over 800,000 child lives per year

Long breast-feeding can protect children from obesity and diabetes
Parents only want the best for their child. There is a simple trick on how you can help your child become healthier and smarter in later life. You do not need medication or special exercises. It is sufficient if you breastfeed your child for a long time.

When mothers breastfeed their baby, it improves intelligence, improves health and protects against obesity and diabetes later in life. Breastfeeding could save 800,000 children worldwide each year from death, physicians said in a recent study. In addition, mothers would be protected from breast cancer by breastfeeding. The scientists published the results of their research in the journal "The Lancet".

Hundreds of thousands of child lives worldwide could be saved each year if more mothers breastfeed their children. (Image: cicisbeo / fotolia.com)

Many women breastfeed their child too short
More than 800,000 dead children and an additional 22,000 deaths from mothers could be prevented each year if more mothers breastfeed their babies, say the doctors. Breastfeeding has a positive effect on the health of the child and the mother. The researchers come to this conclusion based on the evaluation of 28 earlier studies. In children, breastfeeding increases intelligence and improves protection against obesity and diabetes. Despite the positive effects, breastfeeding rates in high-income countries are very low, the researchers explain. Their study has shown that, on average, only 20 percent of newborns in high-income countries are breastfed for at least one year, compared with just one percent in the UK.

Breastfeeding reduces sudden infant deaths by more than a third
The co-author dr. Nigel Rollins of the World Health Organization (WHO) states that the responsibility to breastfeed should not be left alone with the woman. The ability to breastfeed is highly dependent on support and the environment in which the mother lives, explains the expert. Governments and society should support women through community action and programs. The researchers found that breastfeeding in high-income countries reduces the risk of sudden infant death by more than a third.

Mothers need more help and support
The decision to breastfeed has significant long-term effects on children's health, nutrition and development, and women's health. It is a common misconception that breastmilk can be replaced with artificial products without adverse consequences, says lead author Professor Cesar Victora of the Federal University of Pelotas. The study's findings underscore why breastfeeding is the most appropriate method of delivering nutrition to a baby, adds Janet Fyle of the Royal College of Midwives. Non-breastfeeding women, however, should not feel guilty. In addition, mothers generally need better support. Some women do not find breastfeeding easy, a small minority can not breastfeed and others do not want to breastfeed for a variety of reasons, explain the doctors. Eighty percent of mothers who stopped breastfeeding in the first few weeks would have liked to continue breastfeeding but need more support. If mothers get good information and practical help in their pregnancy, women can build more confidence and confidence, the experts explain. With appropriate support in the first few weeks of pregnancy, more women would certainly be nursing their children for longer, according to the researchers. (As)