Breastfeeding study 'flawed'

http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story...006544,00.html

JANE BUNCE

October 03, 2007 03:36pm

A STUDY that found exclusive breastfeeding may increase a baby's risk of
developing allergies is scientifically flawed, breastfeeding advocates say.

The Australian study released this week found allergic mums who exclusively
breastfeed their babies may be inadvertently increasing their infant's risk
of developing asthma or eczema later in life.

The researchers found that while breastfeeding protects these infants in
early childhood, it actually increases the risk of them developing allergies
as adolescents and adults.

The study, published in the US-based Journal of Allergy and Clinical
Immunology, considered data from more than 8500 people involved in the
Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study.

The Melbourne and Hobart researchers said the findings should spark a
reconsideration of current recommendations that high-risk infants, those
whose mothers had an allergy, be breastfed for long-term allergy protection.

But in a statement titled "Breastfeeding and allergy study flawed", the
Australian Breastfeeding Association disputed the study, saying most other
research had found breastfeeding protected against allergy.

The association questioned the researchers' assertion that "exclusive"
breastfeeding - when the baby is fed only breastmilk and no formula - was to
blame for the increased risk of allergies.

The people in the study were born in 1961, the association said, when giving
a newborn baby a nightly feed of artificial formula was routine - often
without the mother's permission or knowledge.

The formula could have caused the increased prevalence of allergies found in
the study, not the supposedly exclusive breastfeeding.

"One exposure to non-human milk can sensitise a baby's immature gut and make
them more prone to allergies," the association said.

The association cited a West Australian study that found giving a baby under
four months old any artificial formula increased their risk of asthma by 20
per cent.

The formula also decreased their brain function and doubled their chance of
being admitted to hospital for chest infection.

The association said there was nothing in the study to justify calling for
any changes to breastfeeding recommendations.

"The causes of allergy and asthma are complex," it said.

"Breastfeeding mothers should be reassured that one study is not a reason to
ignore a large body of evidence that shows breastfeeding is the best way to
feed an infant."