The link between baby feeding and adult anger is unclear

“Breastfed babies less likely to grow up angry and irritable,” according to the Daily Mail. The newspaper said that a long-term study of a group of breastfed babies has found they grew up to be less hostile than a group of bottle-fed counterparts.

The news is based on a long-running Finnish study that had followed nearly 2,000 people from childhood until their 30s. The researchers found that, compared to participants who had never been breastfed, those who had been breastfed for four to six months had lower scores on hostility tests as adults. While the researchers found a difference of around 0.2 points, they do not explain whether there is any clinical relevance in this difference in scores, and it may be the case that this difference would not be noticeable in real life.

This study has a number of limitations, one of which is that it does not look at the reasons why mothers chose to breastfeed or not. Therefore, it is not possible to fully explore the reasons for the link. Mothers are encouraged to breastfeed where possible for the numerous known health benefits for their baby. However, this study requires further follow-up before it is possible to say whether it can have long-term psychological benefits too.

This article is taken from NHS Choices. To read more please click here