Breastfeeding Helps Prevent Cancer

Abstract

A mother's milk is the proper nutrition for infants. Exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months and continued breastfeeding with the introduction of the rigid body in 6 months reduces the risk of many diseases and chronic diseases. Healthy People 2010 breastfeeding goals to increase to 75% of women who start breast-feeding, 50% of women, nursing mothers at 6 months and up to 25% of women who are fed at 1 year. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 6 months exclusive breastfeeding, through the timely introduction of appropriate complementary foods and continued breastfeeding for 2 years and beyond. National data also reveal differences in breastfeeding practices, primarily related to economic and education. The primary demographic factors associated with not breastfeeding or for a short period of time include Nonwhite, poor, unmarried, or younger than 25 years, completing 12 or fewer years of education, as well as living in the southeastern United States. In order to improve breastfeeding practices and reduce existing disparities in infancy and early childhood activities should be targeted not only individuals but also organizations and communities.

Breastfeeding Helps Prevent Cancer

Scientific knowledge has shown that breastfeeding is the preferred method for feeding and rearing, and is the principal means of achieving optimal health of the child, growth and development. Breast milk provides almost all the necessary nutrients, growth factors and immunological components of a healthy infant long-term needs (Baumslag, Michels, 2005). American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least the first year of life, and shortly thereafter as mutually desired by mother and child. However, breastfeeding Rates vary significantly by race, socio-economic level, as well as other demographic factors (Coovadia, 2007). With regard to health, growth and development in the breastfed infant is the reference model, which measured all the alternative methods of feeding.

Beneficial long-term effect of breastfeeding include protection against infectious and immune diseases associated with increased cognitive development, visual function and decreased risk of metabolic syndrome and obesity (International Association of Lactation Consultant Association, 2005). Among other advantages of breastfeeding are the reduction and severity of infections and prevention of allergies. The most important short-term immunological benefit of breast-feeding is the protection against infectious diseases. In addition, breast-feeding influences the development of the child's own immune system. For example, there is some evidence of low prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases, childhood cancers, type 1 and diabetes in infants (Levine, Whelan, 2006).

There seems to be a small protective effect against later overweight and obesity. Breastfeeding reduces the chances of obesity at school age about 20 percent, compared with formula feeding. It was reported that early diet affects growth and body composition and can be considered one of the most important factors for the development of metabolic (Ministry of Health and Human Services, Office of (Women's Health, 2000).

The protective effect of breastfeeding may be partly explained by low rates of infant weight gain, which may be related to differences in the substrate intakes with breast milk and standard infant formulas. Protein per kilogram of body weight of ...