Breastfeeding helps academic performance?

Breastfeeding leads to an increased high school GPA and a higher probability of college attendance, according to a new study co-authored by Daniel Rees, PhD, an economics professor at University of Colorado Denver, and American University professor Joseph Sabia, PhD.

The study, published yesterday in the “Journal of Human Capital,” examined the academic achievement of siblings – one of whom was breastfed as an infant and one of whom was not. 

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, Rees and Sabia used the breastfeeding histories and high school grades of 126 siblings from 59 families. Information on high school completion and college attendance data was obtained from 191 siblings belonging to 90 families.

An additional month of breastfeeding was associated with an increase in high school GPA of 0.019 points and an increase in the probability of college attendance of 0.014.

“As health and labor economists, we’re really focused on the effect of health on education,” said Sabia. “The results of our study suggest that the cognitive and health benefits of breastfeeding may lead to important long-run educational benefits for children. But this is just a start. Much work remains to be done to establish a definitive causal link.”

Focus on siblings

Rees said the study’s use of siblings rules out the possibility that factors such as socioeconomic status drive the relationship between having been breastfed and educational attainment. The findings are designed to spur more research into that relationship.

“Keep in mind, there is a big debate about whether breastfeeding affects IQ – and there is a growing sense in the medical community that it does,” said Rees. “Subsequently, if you believe that, then ok, what else does it affect?”

The establishment of a link between breastfeeding, high school GPA and college attendance raises new questions of infant nutrition and cognitive ability.

“There are two pathways offered by doctors,” said Sabia. “First, there is some evidence that nutrients actually contribute to the development of cognitive skills. If breastfeeding increases that, then we can expect more schooling. 

“The second pathway is the effect of immunizations. Breastfeeding has shown evidence of more long-term health benefits, which makes kids more likely to be immune to a wide variety of diseases. The child who is breastfed would then have a higher probability of going to college. Health plays an important role in the whole process – health benefits have schooling benefits.”

Rees and Sabia are looking forward to the release of new related data coming out later this year.

“That will keep us busy for 10 years,” said Rees.

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