Researchers said that breastfeeding an infant reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks or strokes in the later stages of life and could prevent a significant number of deaths every year. It was discovered that breastfed babies endured fewer cases of childhood infections and allergies. They were also shown to be less likely to develop obesity.

Scientists explained that breastfeeding and slow growth rate during the first few months of a child’s life acted as a protective agent against heart disease.

On the other hand, babies whose diets promoted quick growth were placed at risk later in their life for health conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and the increased likelihood of developing diabetes and obesity. These four conditions were considered the central risk factors for heart attacks and strokes.

According to statistics, about 17 million people die of cardiovascular diseases, mainly heart attack and stroke. A study evaluated the health of 216 teenagers. One group of the study consisted of those who were breastfed as babies and the other group were fed with various baby formulas.

Results From The Study

• The teenagers who were breastfed had a 14 percent lower ratio of bad to good cholesterol. They also displayed lower concentrations of a protein used as an indicator for the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• The infants who grew faster during the first few months of their lives were at higher risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke.
• The results were the same for boys and girls.

Yahoo! News May 13, 2004