Compared with children in the control group, children in the experimental group had overall IQ scores 5.9 points higher than those of children in the control group and better academic assessments from their teachers, but the improvements were not deemed statistically significant.
Kramer said that more research was needed to determine whether the benefits were related to a component of breast milk or to the physical and social interaction between mother and child that is inherent in breast-feeding.
The World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that infants receive only breast milk during the first six months of life. Children who are breast-fed are believed to have health advantages, including fewer gastrointestinal problems.
Last week, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that breast-feeding in the U.S. was at an all-time high, with 77% of new mothers saying they breast-fed their children compared with 60% in 1993-1994.
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denise.gellene@latimes.com
