Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Breastfeeding Boosts Baby IQs

Common gene helps turn fatty acids in breast milk into brain nutrients

By Peter Fearon, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 6, 2007 4:27 AM CST

(Newser) – A gene found in 90% of the human race helps explain why breast-fed babies are more intelligent than infants raised on bottled milk, scientists have discovered. Researchers found that the IQs of children who had been breast fed were 6 to 7 points higher than... Read full story »

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

You need to Log in to Newser to comment. Don't have an account yet? Sign up now!

There are no comments

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

What's Popular Now on Facebook

Cops Shoot Naked Guy Eating Man's Face on Highway

Japanese Artist Serves Up Own Cooked Genitals

Reuters (Source Grid »)

Breast Feeding

Breast feeding linked to higher IQ
Guardian (UK)

Breast feeding is in the genes
Telegraph (UK)

Text of research study
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Science

intelligence • IQ • baby • breast feeding • bottle feeding • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences • Terrie Moffitt • fads2 gene

More Newser Stories

Today's Hot Dieting Tool: Breast Feeding

Study shows breastfeeding women slim faster

(NEWSER) - It's not the most PC thing to admit, but more and more moms are jumping on the breast-feeding wagon for the love of their...waist, reports Catherine Saint Louis for the New York Times. "For those incredibly shrinking women, the time they nurse is precious not only for its skin-on-skin cuddling, but also for the Get Out of Dieting Jail Free card that comes with it," she found. “Nobody wants to admit ‘I’m doing it to help myself look hot again,’" said one new mom. "It’s tough to admit to other people that everything isn’t about the baby." More»

'Obese' 4-Month-Old Denied Insurance

Nursing infant outside norms for age; 'absurd,' cry parents

(NEWSER) - A Colorado couple is baffled that their baby has been denied health insurance coverage because of a preexisting condition: obesity. “I could understand if we could control what he's eating,” says the boy’s father. “But he's 4 months old. He's breast-feeding. We can't put him on the Atkins diet.” An insurance company exec understands the consternation but tells the Denver Post there’s nothing he can do. “Everybody else in the industry does it.” More»

Swedish Dad Aims to Make His Own Breast Milk

Man hopes to be able to suckle future kids; plans to pump his breasts for months

(NEWSER) - A Swedish father is attempting to defy convention—and millions of years of mammalian evolution—by producing his own breast milk, the Local reports. Ragnar Bengtsson, whose 2-year-old son won't be taking part in the experiment, plans to stimulate his breasts with a pump at 3-hour intervals every day for the next few months in the hopes of yielding milk. More»

Old Dad, Poor Brain

Children born to older dads fare worse on memory, learning tests, study finds

(NEWSER) - Children born to older dads tend to do worse on memory, learning and concentration tests than babies of older moms, researchers have found, reports the BBC. Scientists speculate that the poorer performance may be linked to damaging sperm mutations over time that affect babies who are conceived later in life. The study is one of several beginning to unravel the effects that older fathers have on offspring. More»

Salma Hayek Breastfeeds Starving Baby

On-camera moment sparks viral video

(NEWSER) - Footage of Salma Hayek breastfeeding a starving African baby has gone viral, Salon reports, prompting responses from some who are impressed and others who are, predictably, turned on. The actress, who is still breastfeeding her own daughter, was filmed with babe in arms by Nightline during a humanitarian trip to Sierra Leone—prompting one blog commenter to opine, “I’d kill to be that baby!” More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Breastfeeding Boosts Baby IQs

Common gene helps turn fatty acids in breast milk into brain nutrients

Breast Feeding

intelligence • IQ • baby • breast feeding • bottle feeding • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences • Terrie Moffitt • fads2 gene

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Today's Hot Dieting Tool: Breast Feeding

Study shows breastfeeding women slim faster

'Obese' 4-Month-Old Denied Insurance

Nursing infant outside norms for age; 'absurd,' cry parents

Swedish Dad Aims to Make His Own Breast Milk

Man hopes to be able to suckle future kids; plans to pump his breasts for months

Old Dad, Poor Brain

Children born to older dads fare worse on memory, learning tests, study finds

Salma Hayek Breastfeeds Starving Baby

On-camera moment sparks viral video

About Us

Site

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?