We have spoken on several occasions of studies that indicate that children who are breastfed have better cognitive development and that, on the contrary, artificial milk is related to inferior results in this aspect. Now Pediatrics has published a new study that reaffirms these statements comparing cognitive development according to the type of feeding of babies until the year of life.
The researchers monitored babies fed with breast milk, artificial milk from cows and soy preparations in order to discern if there were developmental problems related to the type of unnatural feeding and if, instead, any of the methods had a reflection on the capabilities and children's cognitive development.
The sample was 391 babies and they had several tests that measure cognitive development, linguistic ability. Factors such as the mother's age and intellectual quotient, cranial perimeter, gestational age, birth weight and socioeconomic status of families were taken into account.
The data were taken when the babies were 3, 6, 9 and 12 months to be able to assess the impact of the form of feeding at each stage.
The results were clear. Babies who received artificial feeding, whether from cow's milk or soy preparations, had similar results. But nevertheless, Babies who were breastfed had somewhat better results in the areas analyzed: psychomotor development, cognitive development and language. In addition, they were much less likely to score at the bottom of the tables.
The conclusion of the study is that the artificial feeding type with soy preparations does not impair the cognitive development of babies compared to artificial milk from cow's milk. But nevertheless breastfeeding if it is related to cognitive test results slightly higher.
