New study finds breastfeeding babies can help prevent serious disease

A new study has again confirmed babies who are breastfed have incredible health benefits, with research revealing it can also prevent children from suffering this serious disease.

Samantha Sanchez with her breastfed seven-week-old baby. Phillip Picture: David Caird

Babies breastfed for more than six months have a healthier pattern of growth than those who were not, a new Deakin University study has found.

Researchers found breastfeeding an infant beyond the six-month mark — either solely or as part of mixed formula feeding — resulted in the child having a healthier body mass index at every stage in their first five years of life.

The study, lead by Jazzmin Miaobing Zheng, compared the results of 542 children, at six stages of development, from birth born to age five.

Samantha Sanchez is breastfeeding her seven-week-old son Phillip Picture: David Caird

BMI is widely used to determine a person’s healthy weight range for their height.

Dr Zheng said the results showed the possibility breastmilk held in combating Australia’s high rates of childhood obesity.

“We basically found babies who continue to receive breastmilk … they have a healthier pattern of growth than those who don’t,” Dr Zheng said.

“Now there’s actually strong evidence showing that if a child experiences a rapid growth … we actually find (those) children are three times more likely to develop obesity.

“That includes any breastfeeding, even if occasional or supplemented with formula. The beneficial effects of longer breastfeeding duration also remained evident after accounting for a child’s birth weight, maternal factors like education level and pre-pregnancy body weight status.

“If we can find a way to promote healthy growth in infancy … that would be very good for an easy fix.”

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Mum-of-two, Sam Sanchez, 31, has been breastfeeding newborn son Phillip since he was born.

The baby boy is now seven weeks old and Ms Sanchez, from Craigieburn, said that although nursing a newborn could be tiring, it was worth it in the end.

“I’ve been going on seven weeks now (breastfeeding) … I’m hoping to go to about 12 months after reading about it and hearing the benefits,” she said,

“(It’s how) they get the proper nutrients.”

Originally published as New study finds breastfeeding babies can help prevent serious disease