title: Exclusive breastfeeding reduces asthma in a group of children from the Caguas municipality of Puerto Rico.
abstract: Breast-feeding is the preferred method of infant nutrition. Its role in preventing childhood asthma is controversial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Determine whether breastfeeding protects against the development of bronchial asthma in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey was answered by parents of children less than 18 years of age attending a Pediatric clinic at Cidra, Puerto Rico from July to December 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A group of 175 mothers were included in the study. The mean age was 28 years (range 14-50). The mean age of the children was 5 years. There was family history of asthma in 64% of the families. The prevalence of asthma in these children was 50%. Sixty-six percent of the mother's breastfed but only 27% did it exclusively. Children who were exclusively breastfed had a lower prevalence of asthma and milk protein allergy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study correlates with literature reports linking exclusive breastfeeding to a reduction in asthma and other allergic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Pediatrics, UPR School of Medicine, San Juan, PR 00936-5067.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Mariola
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García Fragoso
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011647:Puerto Rico; D055815:Young Adult