Quantification of health effects of breastfeeding - Review of the literature and model simulation

Breastfeeding has positive health effects, with the largest health gain realized through policy that focuses on encouraging all mothers to start breastfeeding. A literature review shows that breastfeeding has beneficial health effects in both the short and the longer term. There is convincing evidence that the incidence of gastrointestinal infections, inflammation of middle ear, obesity and high blood pressure is reduced in breastfed children. Probably breastfed children suffer less from asthma, wheezing, eczema and among them intellectual and motor development is probably enhanced. Breastfeeding is possibly related to a reduction of incidence in Crohn's disease, atopy, diabetes mellitus type I, and leukaemia. Regarding the mother, there is convincing evidence for a protective effect of breastfeeding on rheumatoid arthritis. The incidence of pre-menopausal breast and ovarian cancer is probably lower among mothers who breastfed their infants longer. The health effects of several intervention scenarios are simulated and compared to the present situation. The largest public health gain can be achieved when all newborns get breastfeeding for at least 6 months. Greater public health gain can be achieved by introducing breastfeeding to all newborns than through a policy only focussing on extending the lactation of women already breastfeeding beyond three months