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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Longitudinal effects of breast feeding on parent-reported child behaviour
AU - Speyer, Lydia Grabriela
AU - Hall, Hildigunnur Anna
AU - Ushakova, Anastasia
AU - Murray, Aja Louise
AU - Luciano, Michelle
AU - Auyeung, Bonnie
N1 - This article has been accepted for publication in Archives of Disease in Childhood (ADC), 2021 following peer review, and the Version of Record can be accessed online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2020-319038 © Lydia Gabriela Speyer, Hildigunnur Anna Hall, Anastasia Ushakova1, Aja Louise Murray, Michelle Luciano, Bonnie Auyeung
PY - 2020/11/9
Y1 - 2020/11/9
N2 - Objective Shorter breastfeeding duration has been linked to a range of difficulties in children. However, evidence linking shorter breastfeeding duration to child behavioural problems has been inconclusive. Owing to an almost exclusive focus on early childhood in previous research, little is known about breastfeeding effects on behaviour throughout childhood and adolescence. This study examines the longitudinal effect of breast feeding on parent-reported behaviour in children aged 3–14.Design Data come from the Millennium Cohort Study, a large, prospective, UK birth cohort study.Participants 11 148 children, their parents and teachers.Methods This study maps the effect of breastfeeding duration on parent-reported child behaviour longitudinally, using latent growth curve modelling and on teacher-reported child behaviour using multiple regression analyses. Breastfeeding duration was assessed through parent interviews when the child was 9 months old. Children’s behavioural development was measured using parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ) at 3, 5, 7, 11 and 14 years and teacher-reported SDQs at 7 and 11 years.Results Breast feeding was associated with fewer parent-reported behavioural difficulties at all ages even after adjusting for potential confounders (<2 months: B=−0.22, 95% CI −0.39 to −0.04; 2–4 months: B=−0.53, 95% CI −0.75 to −0.32; 4–6 months: B=−1.07, 95% CI −1.33 to −0.81; >6 months: B=−1.24, 95% CI −1.44 to −1.04; B=adjusted mean difference of raw SDQ scores at age 3, reference: never breast fed).Conclusion This study provides further evidence supporting links between breastfeeding duration and children’s socioemotional behavioural development. Potential implications include intervention strategies encouraging breast feeding.
AB - Objective Shorter breastfeeding duration has been linked to a range of difficulties in children. However, evidence linking shorter breastfeeding duration to child behavioural problems has been inconclusive. Owing to an almost exclusive focus on early childhood in previous research, little is known about breastfeeding effects on behaviour throughout childhood and adolescence. This study examines the longitudinal effect of breast feeding on parent-reported behaviour in children aged 3–14.Design Data come from the Millennium Cohort Study, a large, prospective, UK birth cohort study.Participants 11 148 children, their parents and teachers.Methods This study maps the effect of breastfeeding duration on parent-reported child behaviour longitudinally, using latent growth curve modelling and on teacher-reported child behaviour using multiple regression analyses. Breastfeeding duration was assessed through parent interviews when the child was 9 months old. Children’s behavioural development was measured using parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ) at 3, 5, 7, 11 and 14 years and teacher-reported SDQs at 7 and 11 years.Results Breast feeding was associated with fewer parent-reported behavioural difficulties at all ages even after adjusting for potential confounders (<2 months: B=−0.22, 95% CI −0.39 to −0.04; 2–4 months: B=−0.53, 95% CI −0.75 to −0.32; 4–6 months: B=−1.07, 95% CI −1.33 to −0.81; >6 months: B=−1.24, 95% CI −1.44 to −1.04; B=adjusted mean difference of raw SDQ scores at age 3, reference: never breast fed).Conclusion This study provides further evidence supporting links between breastfeeding duration and children’s socioemotional behavioural development. Potential implications include intervention strategies encouraging breast feeding.
U2 - 10.1136/archdischild-2020-319038
DO - 10.1136/archdischild-2020-319038
M3 - Journal article
VL - 106
SP - 355
EP - 360
JO - Archives of Disease in Childhood
JF - Archives of Disease in Childhood
SN - 0003-9888
ER -