Breastfeeding offers some protection against the development of
childhood diseases such as juvenile onset insulin dependant diabetes
mellitus (Sadauskaite 2004; Virtanen 1991); raised blood
pressure (Taittonen 1996; Wilson 1998; Singhal 2001); obesity
(Fewtrell 2004; Gillman 2001) and the development of diseases
in later life such as atopic disease (Fewtrell 2004) and raised blood
pressure (Fewtrell 2004; Martin 2004). Breastfeeding has also been
associated with significantly higher scores for cognitive development
(Anderson 1999; Fewtrell 2004).
As well as health benefits to infants, breastfeeding has an impact on
maternal health too (Labbock 2001). Studies have demonstrated
a lower incidence of breast cancer (Beral 2002; Newcombe 1994),
ovarian cancer (Gwinn 1990; Rosenblatt 1993) and hip fractures
(Cumming 1993) in those women who have breastfed.