 "Photo: UCD Advocate")
In a new study conducted by UC-Denver economics professor Daniel Rees, Ph.D., and American University public policy professor Joseph Sabia, breastfeeding is shown to have long-term benefits for children, increasing their academic performance in high school and their likelihood of attending college.
The study, published in the Journal of Human Capital in June, related this effect to better development of cognitive abilities and health.
Rees and Sabia analyzed the breastfeeding histories of 59 families—in which one sibling was breastfed and one was not—and data on high school graduation and college attendance from 90 families.
“By focusing on differences between siblings, we can rule out the possibility of family-level factors, such as socioeconomic status, [that] are driving the relationship between having been breastfed and educational attainment,” said Rees.
This study was the first to use sibling information to investigate the relationship between breastfeeding and academic achievement. This method eliminates the influencing concerns that would affect the results, such as parental involvement.
Sabia's research concentrated on health and labor economics, economic demography, and applied microeconomics. In addition, Rees focused on the economics of education.
The data indicated that an extra month of breastfeeding corresponded with a 0.019 increase in high school GPA and a 0.014 increase in the probability of attending college.
“The results of our study suggest that the cognitive and health benefits of breastfeeding may lead to important long-run educational benefits for children,” said Sabia. “But this is just a start. Much work remains to be done to establish a definitive causal link.”
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