Breast-feeding and childhood hospitalizations for infections.
BACKGROUND
Infectious disease is a leading cause of morbidity and hospitalization for infants and children. During infancy, breast-feeding protects against infectious diseases, particularly respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections, and otitis media. Little is known about the longer-term impact of breast-feeding on infectious disease in children.


METHODS
We investigated the relationship between infant feeding and childhood hospitalizations from respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in a population-based birth cohort of 8327 children born in 1997 and followed for 8 years. The main outcomes were public hospital admissions for respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections, and all infectious diseases. Cox regression was used to assess time to first hospitalization.


RESULTS
Breast-feeding only (no formula-feeding) for 3 or more months was associated with a lower risk of hospital admission in the first 6 months of life for respiratory infections (hazard ratio = 0.64 [95% confidence interval = 0.42-0.97]), gastrointestinal infections (0.51 [0.25-1.05]), and any infection (0.61 [0.44-0.85]), adjusted for sex, type of hospital at birth, and household income. Partial breast-feeding (both breast-feeding and formula-feeding) in the first 3 months also reduced hospitalizations from infections but with smaller effect sizes. Beyond 6 months of age, there was no association between breast-feeding status at 3 months and hospitalization for infectious disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Giving breast milk and no formula for at least 3 months substantially reduced hospital admissions for many infectious diseases in the first 6 months of life, when children are most vulnerable.
Tarrant
Marie
M
School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. tarrantm@hku.hk
Kwok
Man-Ki
MK
Lam
Tai-Hing
TH
Leung
Gabriel M
GM
Schooling
C Mary
CM
D001942:Breast Feeding; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017053:Infection Control; D007239:Infections / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology