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Breastfeeding Leaves Lasting Baby Imprint
25 Aug
Summary
- Breastfeeding leaves detectable traces in children's blood years later.
- These traces are linked to epigenetic changes affecting gene behavior.
- Study involved nearly 3,500 children across 11 countries.
A significant global study has revealed that breastfeeding can leave a lasting biological mark on infants. Researchers from the University of Exeter, in collaboration with the Barcelona Institute for Global Health and the University of Bristol, identified traces in the blood of children who were exclusively breastfed. These subtle imprints were found to be detectable years after the initial nursing period.
The study, which tracked almost 3,500 children from birth up to age 12 across 11 countries including the United States, South Africa, and Spain, linked these findings to epigenetic changes. Epigenetics refers to modifications that affect how genes function without changing the underlying DNA sequence itself.
This research offers compelling evidence supporting the benefits of breastfeeding for healthy childhood development. However, the study also emphasizes that while nursing is a significant factor, it is one among several influences on a child's overall outcomes.
