It has been reported that individuals who were breast-fed during infancy appear to have decreased risk of death from heart disease. Now, new research suggests that this may be due to blood pressure-lowering effects of breast-feeding.
"The wider promotion of breast-feeding is a potential component of the public health strategy to reduce population levels of blood pressure," the researchers suggest in the current issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
The findings are based on a study of 4,763 non-twin, full-term infants who had their blood pressures determined at 7.5 years of age. Questionnaires were also sent to the mothers to assess breast-feeding during infancy.
Dr. Richard M. Martin, from the University of Bristol in the UK, and colleagues found that breast-fed children had systolic blood pressure-the top number of the blood pressure reading--1.2 mm Hg lower than those of children who were not breast-fed. The corresponding decrease for diastolic pressure-the lower number of the blood pressure reading--was 0.9 mm Hg
After Martin's group took into consideration various demographic factors that could contribute to the development of high blood pressure, the effects of breast-feeding were lessen, although still statistically significant.
The findings did not differ between infants who were breast-fed only and those who received a combination of breast milk and formula, the authors note. However, the duration of breast-feeding did have an effect; for each three-month period of feeding, the systolic pressure fell by 0.2 mm Hg.
Although breast-feeding was only linked to a small reduction in blood pressure, this could still have a strong impact on heart disease mortality, Martin said in a statement.
"A one-percent reduction in population systolic blood pressure levels is associated with about a 1.5-percent reduction in all-cause mortality, equivalent to a lessening in premature death of about 8000 to 2000 deaths per year in the United States and the United Kingdom, respectively," he added.
"The wider promotion of breast-feeding is a potential component of the public health strategy to reduce population levels of blood pressure," the researchers suggest in the current issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
The findings are based on a study of 4,763 non-twin, full-term infants who had their blood pressures determined at 7.5 years of age. Questionnaires were also sent to the mothers to assess breast-feeding during infancy.
Dr. Richard M. Martin, from the University of Bristol in the UK, and colleagues found that breast-fed children had systolic blood pressure-the top number of the blood pressure reading--1.2 mm Hg lower than those of children who were not breast-fed. The corresponding decrease for diastolic pressure-the lower number of the blood pressure reading--was 0.9 mm Hg
After Martin's group took into consideration various demographic factors that could contribute to the development of high blood pressure, the effects of breast-feeding were lessen, although still statistically significant.
The findings did not differ between infants who were breast-fed only and those who received a combination of breast milk and formula, the authors note. However, the duration of breast-feeding did have an effect; for each three-month period of feeding, the systolic pressure fell by 0.2 mm Hg.
Although breast-feeding was only linked to a small reduction in blood pressure, this could still have a strong impact on heart disease mortality, Martin said in a statement.
"A one-percent reduction in population systolic blood pressure levels is associated with about a 1.5-percent reduction in all-cause mortality, equivalent to a lessening in premature death of about 8000 to 2000 deaths per year in the United States and the United Kingdom, respectively," he added.
Breast-feeding May Lower Blood Pressure in Childhood
![Breast-feeding May Lower Blood Pressure in Childhood]()
Reviewed by mob
on
April 28, 2018
Rating:
No comments: