Exclusive breastfeeding reduces asthma in a group of children from the Caguas municipality of Puerto Rico
González, J.; Fernández, M.; García Fragoso, L.
Boletin de la Asociacion Medica de Puerto Rico 102(1): 10-12
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-4849 PMID: 20853566 Document Number: 224025
Breast-feeding is the preferred method of infant nutrition. Its role in preventing childhood asthma is controversial. Determine whether breastfeeding protects against the development of bronchial asthma in children. A survey was answered by parents of children less than 18 years of age attending a Pediatric clinic at Cidra, Puerto Rico from July to December 2008. A group of 175 mothers were included in the study. The mean age was 28 years (range 14-50). The mean age of the children was 5 years. There was family history of asthma in 64% of the families. The prevalence of asthma in these children was 50%. Sixty-six percent of the mother's breastfed but only 27% did it exclusively. Children who were exclusively breastfed had a lower prevalence of asthma and milk protein allergy. This study correlates with literature reports linking exclusive breastfeeding to a reduction in asthma and other allergic diseases.
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