Klopp A, et al. - The goal of this study was to investigate if different modes of infant feeding are related to childhood asthma, including differentiating between direct breastfeeding and expressed breast milk. Findings demonstrated that modes of infant feeding were related to asthma development, direct breastfeeding being the most protective mode as compared with formula feeding; indirect breast milk conferred intermediate protection. As per observations, policies that facilitate and promote direct breastfeeding could have impact on the primary prevention of asthma.

Methods

• A total of 3296 children in the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development birth cohort were studied.
• The primary exposure was infant feeding mode at 3 months, reported by mothers and categorized as direct breastfeeding only, breastfeeding with some expressed breast milk, breast milk and formula, or formula only.
• Asthma at 3 years of age, diagnosed by trained healthcare professionals, was the primary outcome.

Results

• Findings demonstrated that at 3 months of age, the distribution of feeding modes was 27% direct breastfeeding, 32% breastfeeding with some expressed breast milk, 26% breast milk and formula, and 15% formula only.
• Data showed that 12% of children were diagnosed with possible or probable asthma at 3 years of age.
• Researchers found that any other mode of infant feeding vs direct breastfeeding was associated with an increased risk of asthma.
• Furthermore, they noted that these links persisted after adjusting for maternal asthma, ethnicity, method of birth, infant sex, gestational age, and daycare attendance (some expressed breast milk: aOR, 1.64, 95% CI, 1.12-2.39; breast milk and formula, aOR, 1.73, 95% CI, 1.17-2.57; formula only: aOR, 2.14, 95% CI, 1.37-3.35).
• After further adjustment for total breastfeeding duration and respiratory infections, results were similar.