I would also be curious to know about whether or not environmental factors were
considered.  For example taking into consideration differing levels of toxins being
excreted in the mother's milk as well as other environmental factors i.e. types of
products used in and around the house, personal care products, pesticide use,
general air pollution etc.  I believe these factors also need to considered when
looking for relationships with regards to allergies and asthma.  Nonetheless, I too
think breastfeeding is the way to go, but do have concerns about the potential effects
of several environmental factors.

Joanna Mestre


On 21 Sep 2002 at 17:30, DMLast wrote:

> I'd like to see the study.  How about the confounding effect of more
> mothers breastfeeding children and continuing longer if there is already a
> family history of allergies?  Perhaps these children would have developed
> allergies anyway and were selectively chosen as part of the breastfeeding
> group due to this history.  Any comments?
> Secondly, I'd like to see the funding for this study.
>
> I hardly think we can ever argue that encouraging feeding human infants
> human milk constitutes poor health promotion! And when we look at
> socioeconomic factors, the cost savings alone for families who choose to
> breastfeed should persuade you, Dennis.
>
> Dorothyanne Last
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:   Dennis Raphael [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent:   Friday, September 20, 2002 7:27 AM
> To:     [log in to unmask]
> Subject:        breast feeding good?
>
> [More evidence on why a critical perspective is necessary
> in health promotion and why Dennis has no allergies.]
>
> Breast-feeding tied to asthma, allergies
> Study casts doubt on long-held belief that practice is beneficial
> Suzanne Morrison, TORSTAR NEWS SERVICE
>
>   HAMILTON - Researchers at McMaster University
> have turned conventional wisdom on its head with
> new evidence   that breast-feeding does not protect
> children from allergies and asthma.
>
>   In fact, they found breast-feeding may actually increase
> the risk of these disorders.
>
> For years, doctors have told patients that breast-feeding
> an infant exclusively for the first six to 12 months is the best way
>  to avoid allergies from developing.
>
>   But that advice in medical textbooks may need to be rewritten
> because of new research reported today by Dr. Malcolm
>   Sears in the British medical journal The Lancet.
>
>   Along with colleagues from New Zealand, Sears found that children
> who are breast-fed for more than four weeks are
> almost twice as likely to suffer allergies or asthma later on in
> childhood than those not breast-fed.
>
>   "Our paper says the protection does not last beyond the early years
> and, in later years, it is associated with an increased
>   risk," said Sears, a professor of medicine at McMaster.
>
>   But she stressed no one is suggesting women stop
> breast-feeding.
>
>   "We are just saying preventing allergy and asthma in the
> long term no longer can be regarded as a reason to breast-feed."
>
>   Sears said there are still 101 good reasons to breast-feed,
> from optimum nutrition to bonding with an infant, and only one
>   reason not to << File: ATT00008.txt >>
>
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