A RECENT finding that breastfeeding has little or no impact on a child's intelligence has been contested by a local group which regularly promotes its overwhelming benefits.

The largest-ever study conducted on the issue found that breastfeeding appears to benefit a child's intelligence when considered in isolation, but in fact a range of influences factors come into play, the most important of which is a mother's intellect.

The analysis was completed in the UK by the Medical Research Council and the University of Edinburgh. It considered data from 5,475 children and 3,161 mothers in America based on information taken from a 1979 national longitudinal study of youth.

"Breastfeeding has little or no effect on intelligence in children," stated research published by the British Medical Journal online. "While breastfeeding has many advantages for the child and mother, enhancement of the child's intelligence is unlikely to be among them.

"The mother's IQ was more highly predictive of breastfeeding status than were her race, education, age, poverty status, smoking, home environment, or the child's birth weight or birth order.

"One standard deviation advantage in maternal IQ more than doubled the odds of breastfeeding. Before adjustment, breastfeeding was associated with an increase of around four points in mental ability.

"Adjustment for maternal intelligence accounted for most of this effect. When fully adjusted for a range of relevant confounders, the effect was small and non-significant."

The findings were downplayed by La Leche League of Bermuda, which pointed to decades of studies with incongruent results.

"The recent study done by the Medical Research Council and the University of Edinburgh is only one of many studies undertaken to determine the benefits of breast milk over artificial baby food," said Lena Ostroff. "Countless studies have been carried out over the past several decades and all point to the overwhelming benefits of breastfeeding. The results of previous studies confirm breastfeeding does positively affect the intelligence of infants."

She took issue with the term 'breastfeeding' as applied by the UK study, saying it wasn't clear whether the researchers canvassed mothers who followed the guidelines set by the World Health Organisation and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

"(They recommend) babies receive human milk exclusively ? no other liquids ? until about six months, at which time there should be a slow introduction to solids, while breastfeeding continues, until a natural end.

"Unfortunately, some studies may include babies who were breastfed for only a brief time. This recent study does not provide a definition of 'breastfed baby'. Thus, it is difficult to accurately interpret their results."

However, she agreed with the study's conclusion that breastfeeding offers advantages to both mother and child.

"Breastfeeding is not just the delivery of a product. It is a process that enhances mothering skills and helps women respond to the needs of their babies. Breast milk is the perfect food for infants, boosting immunity and reducing the risk of respiratory infections, diarrhoea, asthma, eczema and allergies, bacterial meningitis, insulin-dependent diabetes, and ear infections.

"Breastfed babies are also less likely to be obese because they regulate how much food they need ? and babies who are breastfed longer are less likely to be obese in later life."