Breastfeeding, allergy and asthma risk,

I would tend to agree with Jack Newman's response to the study that was in
today's National post (Friday, September 20, 2002). He stated that he is
skeptical of the new findings". The new findings according to the National
Post were that "breast-feeding children for more than a month can double
their risk of developing asthma or allergies".   Jack Newman is a leading
Canadian breastfeeding advocate who established the first hospital-based
breastfeeding clinic in the country. At the end of the article he stated,
"Why does this study invalidate other studies that came before it?  I don't
think it does". I would agree and know many others who would as well. There
are so many benefits to breastfeeding so let's not focus on what one study
is saying. So I'm wondering Denis, why do you have no allergies?

-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Raphael [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, September 20, 2002 9:29 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: non-trivial effects


Volume 360, Number 9337  21 September 2002

 Long-term relation between breastfeeding and
 development of atopy and asthma in children and
 young adults: a longitudinal study

 Malcolm R Sears, Justina M Greene, Andrew R Willan, D Robin Taylor, Erin M
 Flannery, Jan O Cowan, G Peter Herbison, Richie Poulton

  Correspondence to: Prof Malcolm R Sears, Firestone Institute for
Respiratory
Health,
 St Joseph's Healthcare and McMaster University, 50 Charlton Avenue,
Hamilton,
 Ontario L8N 4A6, Canada (e-mail:[log in to unmask])

 Summary

 Background Breastfeeding is widely advocated to reduce risk of atopy and
asthma,
 but the evidence for such an effect is conflicting. We aimed to assess
long-term
 outcomes of asthma and atopy related to breastfeeding in a New Zealand
birth
cohort.

 Methods Our cohort consisted of 1037 of 1139 children born in Dunedin, New
Zealand,
 between April, 1972, and March, 1973, and residing in Otago province at age
3
years.
 Children were assessed every 2-5 years from ages 9 to 26 years with
respiratory
 questionnaires, pulmonary function, bronchial challenge, and allergy skin
tests.
 History of breastfeeding had been independently recorded in early
childhood.

 Findings 504 (49%) of 1037 eligible children were breastfed (4 weeks or
longer)
and
 533 (51%) were not. More children who were breastfed were atopic at all
ages
from 13
 to 21 years to cats (p=0

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