Breast feeding linked to lower heart health risk later in life
Researchers at Northwestern University (published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B) have shown that people who were only breast-fed for a limited period when babies, and people with low birth weights had a greater long-term risk of heart problems.
Apparently there is a correlation with C-Reactive Protein in the blood. The higher your CRP figure, the greater your risk of heart problems because CRP is a predictor of chronic inflammation in the body.
With each pound of additional birth weight the CRP level falls 5%.
Babies who were breast-fed for 3-12 months had CRP levels 20-30% lower than those not breast-fed at all.
The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breast-feeding up to the age of six months. Apparently less than 40% of mums heed this advice
