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Early-onset puberty not linked to milk consumption
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Despite what many physicians and parents believe, consuming breast-milk or cow’s milk early on in life does not affect puberty onset, according to study results published online.
Gabriel M. Leung, MD, of the Life Course and Lifestyle Epidemiology Group, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Hong Kong, and colleagues followed for 13 years about 7,500 males and females born in Hong Kong during 1997. The researchers measured milk consumption in children at aged 6 months, and at 3 and 5 years, and then compared that milk intake with the age of pubertal onset in those children.
Although the researchers said the benefits of breast-feeding have been well established, “this large, population-representative Chinese birth cohort provides no evidence that these exposures have long-term effects on pubertal timing.” The AAP advocates breast-feeding not only for its nutritional benefits, but also for bonding between mothers and their babies.
The researchers noted some limitations; specifically, since the study was only conducted in China, it is difficult to determine whether the results could be applied to Western countries.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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