The effect of breastfeeding on mental health in early adolescents

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24790631
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Public health/Health science
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science
• Principal Investigator: ANDO Shuntaro 公益財団法人東京都医学総合研究所, 精神行動医学研究分野, 研究員 (20616784)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 母乳栄養 / 精神的健康

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of this study was to investigate the association between the length of breastfeeding and mental health among general early adolescents. As a result of multivariate regression analysis, there was no evidence of difference in well-being and psychotic-like experience between adolescents with 4-month exclusive breastfeeding and those with 6-month exclusive breastfeeding. On the other hand, the length of breastfeeding was related positively to well-being and negatively to depression of adolescents after controlling for the effects of age, sex, family income, smoking during pregnancy, and maternal depression. The result of this study suggests that the longer breastfeed was given, the better mental health of early adolescents becomes. Future study is required to examine the mechanism of the relationship.

Free Research Field

精神保健