New Breastfeeding Benefit?

 





Breastfeeding may help lower the risk of the most common childhood cancer, according to a new study.
Researchers reviewed 18 previous studies that looked at the link between nursing and childhood leukemia. They found that breastfeeding for six months or longer was associated with a 19 percent lower risk compared with no breastfeeding or breastfeeding for a shorter period. A separate analysis of 15 studies found that being breastfed for any length of time was associated with an 11 percent lower risk of the disease compared with no breastfeeding. The authors say, "Because the primary goal of public health is prevention of morbidity, health care professionals should be taught the potential health benefits of breastfeeding and given tools to assist mothers with breastfeeding." They say more research is needed to clarify the biological mechanisms underlying this association between breastfeeding and lower childhood leukemia morbidity.
                                                                                   Health Day News Video - June 3, 2015