Objective To examine the relationship of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in breast milk with children's IQ. Study design In the French Etude des Déterminants pré- et postnatals précoces du ...développement et de la santé de l'Enfant (EDEN) mother-child cohort, colostrum samples were collected at the maternity unit. Colostrum omega-6 and omega-3 PUFA were analyzed by gas chromatography. At age 5-6 years, the IQs of 1080 children were assessed using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-III. The relationships of breastfeeding duration and PUFA levels with children's IQs were examined by linear regression. Results Full scale IQ of ever breastfed children was 4.5 (95% CI: 2.7, 6.2) higher than never breastfed children in the unadjusted model, but this was not statistically significant in the adjusted model (1.3 points higher -0.4, 3.0). Any breastfeeding duration was associated with full scale (0.20 0.00, 0.41 points/month) and verbal 0.31 0.09, 0.52) IQ. Colostrum linoleic acid (LA) levels were negatively associated with Verbal IQ (-0.6 -1.1, 0.0 points per 1% level increase). Children exposed to colostrum high in LA and low in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) had lower IQs than those exposed to colostrum high in DHA (3.0 0.5, 5.5 points) and those exposed to colostrum low in LA and DHA (4.4 1.6, 7.3 points). Finally, the association between breastfeeding duration and child IQ was stronger when LA levels were high. Conclusions Duration of breastfeeding and colostrum PUFA levels were associated with children's IQs in the EDEN cohort. These data support breastfeeding and add evidence for the role of early PUFA exposure on childhood cognition.
Objective To investigate the dose–response relationship between breastfeeding duration and cognitive development in French preschool children. Study design In the French EDEN Mother–Child Cohort ...Study, we evaluated language ability with the Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) in 1387 2-year-old children and overall development with the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) in 1199 3-year-old children. Assessments were compared between breastfed and non-breastfed children and also according to breastfeeding duration in multivariable linear models, controlling for a wide range of potential confounders. We tested departure from linearity. Results After adjustments, ever-breastfed children scored 3.7 ± 1.8 ( P = .038) points higher than never-breastfed children on the CDI and 6.2 ± 1.9 ( P = .001) points higher on the ASQ. Among breastfed children, exclusive and any-breastfeeding durations were positively associated with both CDI and ASQ scores. The fine motor domain of ASQ was associated with any-breastfeeding duration, and the problem solving domain with exclusive-breastfeeding duration. We did not observe significant departures from linearity. No interactions were found between the child's sex, parental education or socioeconomic status, and breastfeeding duration. Conclusion Longer breastfeeding duration was associated with better cognitive and motor development in 2- and 3-year-old children and a dose–response relationship was suggested.
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