Babies who are breastfed are more intelligent, stay longer in full-time education and ultimately earn more money as well, a three-decade study has concluded.
Brazilian researchers interviewed 3,500 adults out of 6,000 babies who entered the study in 1982.
They found that people who were breastfed for more than 12 months, compared to those breastfed for less than a month…
- Had on average an IQ four points higher
- Spent an average of a year longer in education
- Earned an average of 341 Brazilian reals (£72) per month more
Similar studies have previously established links between breastfeeding and outcomes in life, but this is thought to be the first without socioeconomic bias – breastfeeding in Brazil is not linked to women from poorer or richer backgrounds.
Study leader Dr Bernardo Lessa Horta, from the Federal University of Pelotas, said:
Our study provides the first evidence that prolonged breastfeeding not only increases intelligence until at least the age of 30 years but also has an impact both at an individual and societal level by improving educational attainment and earning ability.
Source: Lancet Global Health
SOURCE: http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/breastfed-babies-are-smarter-and-earn-more-moneystudy–e1WPNezz0g