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Is Breast Milk Best?
The research was sparked by a previous study showing that men born at the turn of the century and who were breastfed for one year or more had higher rates of heart disease 60 or 70 years later than those in the general population. Studies in primates have also suggested a link between heart disease and breastfeeding. One study involving baboons, for example, found that those who were breastfed had higher cholesterol and more fatty streaks in their arteries as adults. In this study, conducted among 171 women and 160 men ages 20 to 28 who were born at Cambridge Maternity Hospital, investigators set out to determine if breastfeeding or the duration of breastfeeding had any effect on the development of risk factors for heart disease. Specifically, they looked at the stiffness of the participants' arteries and their current cholesterol levels, along with weight, height, blood pressure, blood sugar, and smoking history. The scientists decided to study young people to minimize the effects of lifestyle choices that, over time, are known to lead to heart problems.
Noting that there are many health benefits to be derived from breastfeeding, the investigators stress that their results should not be used to alter current recommendations on breastfeeding. Instead, they believe more studies may be needed to determine the optimal duration of breastfeeding. |
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Doctors for the most part agree that breastfeeding is best for baby, but a new study from British researchers, published in this month's British Medical Journal, is raising questions about a possible link between breastfeeding and heart disease. 
Results showed no link between breastfeeding and any of the risk factors, except one: both men and women in the study who had been breastfed for at least four months had significantly stiffer arteries than those who were not breastfed or who were breastfed for less than four months. What is more, the association between stiff arteries and breastfeeding increased with time. The longer a participant was breastfed, the stiffer his arteries. 