Breast-feeding and atopic disease: a cohort study from childhood to middle age.
BACKGROUND
The literature regarding the association between breast-feeding and atopic diseases has been contradictory.


OBJECTIVE
We have assessed the relationship between breast-feeding and atopic disorders in a cohort followed into middle age.


METHODS
The Tasmanian Asthma Study is a population-based prospective cohort study that has followed participants from the age of 7 to 44 years. Exclusive breast-feeding in the first 3 months of life was examined as a risk factor for atopic diseases by using multiple logistic regression and generalized estimating equation analyses.


RESULTS
At age 7 years, exclusively breast-fed children with a maternal history of atopy had a marginally lesser risk of current asthma than those not exclusively breast-fed (odds ratio [OR], 0.8; 95% CI, 0.6-1.0). However, after age 7 years, the risk reversed, and exclusively breast-fed children had an increased risk of current asthma at 14 (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.02-2.07), 32 (OR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.06-3.3), and 44 (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.15-2.14) years. Exclusively breast-fed children also had a reduced risk of food allergy at age 7 years but an increased risk of food allergy (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.1-1.5) and allergic rhinitis (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.3) at 44 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Exclusively breast-fed babies with a maternal history of atopy were less likely to develop asthma before the age of 7 years, but more likely to develop asthma after the age of 7 years.


CONCLUSIONS
The current recommendation to breast-feed high-risk infants for protection against early wheezing illness can be confirmed. However, the recommendation should be reconsidered for protection against allergic asthma and atopy in the longer term.
Matheson
Melanie Claire
MC
Center for Molecular, Environmental, Genetic & Analytic Epidemiology, School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. mcmat@unimelb.edu.au
Erbas
Bircan
B
Balasuriya
Aindralal
A
Jenkins
Mark Andrew
MA
Wharton
Cathryn Leisa
CL
Tang
Mimi Lai-Kuan
ML
Abramson
Michael John
MJ
Walters
Eugene Haydn
EH
Hopper
John Llewelyn
JL
Dharmage
Shyamali Chandrika
SC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D013648:Tasmania / Q000453:epidemiology