Breastfeed longer - have smarter kids.
A new Swedish study shows that children who are breast-fed longer turn out more gifted and have a greater capacity for emotional empathy. It is Psychologist Ulrika Birberg Thornberg who is presenting the study in form of a thesis.
“It is above all the nutrients in the breast milk that have a positive influence,’ she says. “We have analyzed the fatty acids in breast milk and a good balance between omega-3 and omega-6 has created a better result in children. The study shows that the longer a child has been breast-fed, the higher its level of intelligence when he or she reaches age 6. The children who had been breast-fed the longest had been nursed over a year, in some cases even more.
Birberg Thornberg emphasizes that the study shows that the differences are small on an individual level, but gain importance on a group level. “In these studies, only breast-fed children are included so we cannot say anything about children who have not been breast-fed. What I do know is that these important nutrients are usually added to today’s formula.” In her thesis, Birberg Thornberg also takes a look at children diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), and how they can be helped with omega-3 supplements. The differences overall were too slight to draw conclusions, but in two sub groups, positive results were seen.
According to a fresh study, children who are breast fed turn out more gifted.