American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 147, No. 9: 863-870
Copyright © 1998 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health
other |
Breastfeeding Reduces Risk of Respiratory Illness in Infants
1 Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center Albuquerque, NM
2 Department of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center Albuquerque, NM
3 Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center Albuquerque, NM
4 Department of Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center Albuquerque, NM
5 Epidemiology and Cancer Control Program, Cancer Research and Treatment Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center Albuquerque, NM
Reprint requests to Dr. Jonathan Samet, Department of Epidemiology, School of Hygiene and Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, 615 North Wolfe Street, Room W6041, Baltimore, MD 21205.
Breastfeeding has long been believed to protect against infection in infants, but protection against respiratory illnesses has not been consistently demonstrated in studies in developed countries. Between 1988 and 1992, the authors assessed the effect of breastfeeding on incidence and duration of respiratory illnesses during the first 6 months of life in a prospective study that actively tracked breastfeeding and respiratory illnesses. A cohort of 1,202 healthy infants, born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, between January 1,1988 and June 30,1990, from homes without smokers was enrolled. The daily occurrences of respiratory symptoms and breastfeeding status were reported by the mothers every 2 weeks. Illnesses were classified as lower respiratory illness (LRI) if wheezing or wet cough was reported; the remaining illnesses were classified as upper respiratory. The annualized incidence rates for LRI were 2.8, 2.6, and 2.1 during follow-up time with no, partial, or full breastfeeding, respectively, but the incidence rates for upper respiratory illness and lower respiratory illness combined were similar in the three categories. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, full breastfeeding was associated with a reduction in lower respiratory illness risk (odds ratio = 0.81,95% confidence interval 0.68–0.96). Median duration of all respiratory illnesses was 5 days for the fully breastfed infants during the first 6 months of life compared with a median of 6 days for not breastfed and partially breastfed infants. Multivariate analysis confirmed that breastfeeding significantly reduced the duration of respiratory illness. This pattern of reduced incidence of LRI and shorter duration of all respiratory illnesses suggests that breastfeeding reduces the severity of infant respiratory illnesses during the first 6 months of life. Am J Epidemiol 1998; 147:863–70.
breast feeding; cohort studies; incidence; infants; respiratory tract infections
6Present address: Department of Epidemiology, School of Hygiene and Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  D. Thulier Breastfeeding in America: A History of Influencing Factors J Hum Lact, February 1, 2009; 25(1): 85 - 94. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 I U Ogbuanu, W Karmaus, S H Arshad, R J Kurukulaaratchy, and S Ewart Effect of breastfeeding duration on lung function at age 10 years: a prospective birth cohort study Thorax, January 1, 2009; 64(1): 62 - 66. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 I. M. Mandomando, D. Naniche, M. F. Pasetti, X. Valles, L. Cuberos, A. Nhacolo, K. L. Kotloff, H. Martins, M. M. Levine, and P. Alonso Measles-specific Neutralizing Antibodies in Rural Mozambique: Seroprevalence and Presence in Breast Milk Am J Trop Med Hyg, November 1, 2008; 79(5): 787 - 792. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. Li, S. B. Fein, J. Chen, and L. M. Grummer-Strawn Why Mothers Stop Breastfeeding: Mothers' Self-reported Reasons for Stopping During the First Year Pediatrics, October 1, 2008; 122(Supplement_2): S69 - S76. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. M'Rabet, A. P. Vos, G. Boehm, and J. Garssen Breast-Feeding and Its Role in Early Development of the Immune System in Infants: Consequences for Health Later in Life J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1782S - 1790S. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. Boehm and G. Moro Structural and Functional Aspects of Prebiotics Used in Infant Nutrition J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1818S - 1828S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P W G Tennant, G J. Gibson, and M S Pearce Lifecourse predictors of adult respiratory function: results from the Newcastle Thousand Families Study Thorax, September 1, 2008; 63(9): 823 - 830. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Freeman, K. A. Bonuck, and M. Trombley Breastfeeding and Infant Illness in Low-Income, Minority Women: A Prospective Cohort Study of the Dose-Response Relationship J Hum Lact, February 1, 2008; 24(1): 14 - 22. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. W. Guilbert, D. A. Stern, W. J. Morgan, F. D. Martinez, and A. L. Wright Effect of Breastfeeding on Lung Function in Childhood and Modulation by Maternal Asthma and Atopy Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., November 1, 2007; 176(9): 843 - 848. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. B. Wolf Is Breast Really Best? Risk and Total Motherhood in the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, August 1, 2007; 32(4): 595 - 636. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. B. F. Stepans, S. L. Wilhelm, and K. Dolence Smoking hygiene: reducing infant exposure to tobacco. Biol Res Nurs, October 1, 2006; 8(2): 104 - 114. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. A. Bonuck, K. Freeman, and M. Trombley Randomized controlled trial of a prenatal and postnatal lactation consultant intervention on infant health care use. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, September 1, 2006; 160(9): 953 - 960. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 O Flidel-Rimon and E S Shinwell Breast feeding twins and high multiples. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed., September 1, 2006; 91(5): F377 - F380. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. M. Paricio Talayero, M. Lizan-Garcia, A. O. Puime, M. J. B. Muncharaz, B. B. Soto, M. Sanchez-Palomares, L. S. Serrano, and L. L. Rivera Full Breastfeeding and Hospitalization as a Result of Infections in the First Year of Life Pediatrics, July 1, 2006; 118(1): e92 - e99. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. M. Jackson and A. M. Nazar Breastfeeding, the Immune Response, and Long-term Health J Am Osteopath Assoc, April 1, 2006; 106(4): 203 - 207. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. Peters, K.-H. Wehkamp, R. E. Felberbaum, D. Kruger, and R. Linder Breastfeeding duration is determined by only a few factors Eur J Public Health, April 1, 2006; 16(2): 162 - 167. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Shaukat, J. L. Freudenheim, B. J.B. Grant, P. Muti, H. M. Ochs-Balcom, S. E. McCann, M. Trevisan, L. Iacoviello, and H. J. Schunemann Is Being Breastfed as an Infant Associated with Adult Pulmonary Function? J. Am. Coll. Nutr., October 1, 2005; 24(5): 327 - 333. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. L. Foo, S. J. S. Quek, S. A. Ng, M. T. Lim, and M. Deurenberg-Yap Breastfeeding prevalence and practices among Singaporean Chinese, Malay and Indian mothers Health Promot. Int., September 1, 2005; 20(3): 229 - 237. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Merten and U. Ackermann-Liebrich Exclusive Breastfeeding Rates and Associated Factors in Swiss Baby-Friendly Hospitals J Hum Lact, February 1, 2004; 20(1): 9 - 17. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Sinha, J. Madden, D. Ross-Degnan, S. Soumerai, and R. Platt Reduced Risk of Neonatal Respiratory Infections Among Breastfed Girls but Not Boys Pediatrics, October 1, 2003; 112(4): e303 - 303. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A MacDonald Is breast best? Is early solid feeding harmful? Perspectives in Public Health, September 1, 2003; 123(3): 169 - 174. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Koch, K. Molbak, P. Homoe, P. Sorensen, T. Hjuler, M. E. Olesen, J. Pejl, F. K. Pedersen, O. R. Olsen, and M. Melbye Risk Factors for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in Young Greenlandic Children Am. J. Epidemiol., August 15, 2003; 158(4): 374 - 384. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. M. C. Cernadas, G. Noceda, L. Barrera, A. M. Martinez, and A. Garsd Maternal and Perinatal Factors Influencing the Duration of Exclusive Breastfeeding During the First 6 Months of Life J Hum Lact, May 1, 2003; 19(2): 136 - 144. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 W H Oddy, P D Sly, N H de Klerk, L I Landau, G E Kendall, P G Holt, and F J Stanley Breast feeding and respiratory morbidity in infancy: a birth cohort study Arch. Dis. Child., March 1, 2003; 88(3): 224 - 228. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. Li, C. Ogden, C. Ballew, C. Gillespie, and L. Grummer-Strawn Prevalence of Exclusive Breastfeeding Among US Infants: The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (Phase II, 1991-1994) Am J Public Health, July 1, 2002; 92(7): 1107 - 1110. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Arifeen, R. E. Black, G. Antelman, A. Baqui, L. Caulfield, and S. Becker Exclusive Breastfeeding Reduces Acute Respiratory Infection and Diarrhea Deaths Among Infants in Dhaka Slums Pediatrics, October 1, 2001; 108(4): e67 - 67. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Ito Drug Therapy for Breast-Feeding Women N. Engl. J. Med., July 13, 2000; 343(2): 118 - 126. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|