New York Times August 29, 2011
Nutrition: Breast-Feeding Does Not Prevent Eczema
By NICHOLAS BAKALAR
Prolonged breast-feeding is widely believed to protect infants against developing eczema and other allergic diseases. But a new study has found no evidence for the belief.
Researchers in Britain gathered data on more than 50,000 children ages 8 to 12 in 21 countries, assessing the prevalence and severity of eczema with skin examinations of the children, family medical histories and questionnaires about past symptoms. The children also received skin-prick tests for common allergens.
Even among children who had been breast-fed for six months or longer, there was no evidence that breast-feeding prevented eczema or limited its severity. The results were the same for children whose mothers had a history of allergy and for those who had a positive reaction to the allergens used in the skin-prick test.
In more affluent countries, breast-feeding actually was associated with a slight increase in the risk for eczema. The researchers suspect that this is because mothers who see an allergic reaction in an infant may try to breast-feed longer, not because breast-feeding causes the allergy.
“We’re not questioning the benefits of breast-feeding,” said Carsten Flohr, the lead author and a senior lecturer in pediatrics at Kings College London. “But when it comes to prevention of eczema, neither breast-feeding itself nor prolonged breast-feeding seems to be protective.”
The study appears online in The British Journal of Dermatology. See:
Br J Dermatol. 2009 Aug;161(2):373-83. Epub 2009 Feb 23.
Exclusive breastfeeding and incident atopic dermatitis in childhood: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.
Yang YW, Tsai CL, Lu CY.
Conclusion: There is no strong evidence of a protective effect of exclusive breastfeeding for at least 3 months against AD, even among children with a positive family history.