Exclusive BF best

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Abstract: Link here <http://adc.bmj.com/content/95/12/1004.abstract>

*Objective* To prospectively investigate the effects of breastfeeding on the

frequency and severity of infections in a well-defined infant population

with adequate vaccination coverage and healthcare standards.

*Study design* In a representative sample of 926 infants, successfully

followed up for 12 months, feeding mode and all infectious episodes,

including acute otitis media (AOM), acute respiratory infection (ARI),

gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, conjunctivitis and thrush, were

recorded at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of life.

*Results* Infants exclusively breastfed for 6 months, as per WHO

recommendations, presented with fewer infectious episodes than their

partially breastfed or non-breastfed peers and this protective effect

persisted after adjustment for potential confounders for ARI (OR 0.58, 95%

CI 0.36 to 0.92), AOM (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.13 to 1.05) and thrush (OR 0.14,

95% CI 0.02 to 1.02). Prolonged exclusive breastfeeding was associated with

fewer infectious episodes (rs=-0.07, p=0.019) and fewer admissions to

hospital for infection (rs=-0.06, p=0.037) in the first year of life.

Partial breastfeeding was not related to protective effect. Several

confounding factors, including parental age and education, ethnicity,

presence of other siblings, environmental tobacco smoke exposure and season

of birth were demonstrated to have an effect on frequency of infections

during infancy.

*Conclusions* Findings from this large-scale prospective study in a

well-defined infant population with adequate healthcare standards suggest

that exclusive breastfeeding contributes to protection against common

infections during infancy regarding and lessens the frequency and severity

of infectious episodes. Partial breastfeeding did not seem to provide this

protective effect.

--

Ortiz, MS, RD

*The FRUGAL Dietitian* <http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com>

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