Breastfeeding reduces breast cancer risk

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Breastfeeding reduces breast cancer risk

Researchers at the World Cancer Research Fund have found that 'breastfeeding' reduces the risk of breast cancer in women. Being breastfed also reduces a child's risk of being overweight, a risk factor for cancer.

CJ: T. Iqbal

Thu, May 22, 2008 21:38:50 IST

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Breast Cancer Disease :

'MOTHER’S MILK is best for baby'. The long-held adage holds scientific truth and popular trust as well. Recently, researchers at the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) have found that ’breastfeeding’ is highly beneficial to not only the child but also to the mother as it reduces the risk of breast cancer.

Researchers at the centre have suggested that a mother should breastfeed her baby for six months after giving birth. This reduces her risk of getting breast cancer. Lucie Galice of the WCRF says, “It is a real concern that so many women are unaware of a simple way they could help protect themselves.

“The evidence on this is convincing and this is why we recommend that mothers should aim to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months and then also continue with complementary feeding after that.

“This means that many new mothers are making choices about whether to breastfeed without knowing it can help reduce cancer risk for them and their child.”

The researchers had carried out a survey. They came to a conclusion that three out of four women do not have knowledge about the link and two-thirds are unaware that being breastfed reduces a child’s risk of being overweight, a risk factor for cancer.

Of the 1,998 mothers surveyed, 19 per cent thought breastfeeding reduces a woman’s risk of breast cancer, while 25 per cent thought it reduces a child’s risk of being overweight. Moreover, it was found that only 13 per cent of women knew that it could reduce a mother’s risk of developing breast cancer.

The research follows a review of almost 100 scientific studies conducted in January by the American Institute for Cancer Research, which found ’satisfactory’ evidence that the process lowered the risk of breast cancer in women.

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