|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A number of studies show "a possible protective effect of human milk feeding" agents upon:
Recent work on populations which are susceptable to non-insulin
dependent diabetes shows that breastfeeding is associated with a lower
risk of later non-insulin dependent diabetes. Data from the Pima Indians
in the United States found that exclusive breastfeeding for greater than
2 months was protective against the development of non-insulin dependent
diabetes with an odds ratio of 0.41. In Native Americans in Canada,
breastfeeding for longer than 12 months was protective for the later
development of non-insulin dependent diabetes with an odds ratios of 0.24
(
Work in Finland studying infants at risk for insulin dependent
diabetes showed that these infants who had been breastfed exclusively
for at least 4 months had a lower risk of developing islet cell antibodies
in the first 4 years of life. Islet cell antibodies are precursors of insulin
dependent diabetes. In both these cases, the protective effect of
breastfeeding may be due to decreased exposure to cows milk proteins
early in life (
Celiac disease is associated with genetic susceptibility
and environmental exposure to gluten. Breastfeeding may also delay early
exposure to gluten and delay onset of this disease
(
Review of the literature on the effect of breastfeeding on cholesterol
levels in children and adults reveals the following: breastfeeding is
associated with increased average cholesterol and low density
lipoprotein levels
in infancy, no effect during childhood and adolescence,
but lower average levels
of these 2 substances in adults. Breastfeeding may have long-term benefits
for cardiovascular health. This may be due to the early exposure of breastfed
infants to cholesterol in human milk (
|
|
|
|
| previous page | next page |