'Breastfeeding' helps shield babies from pollution

A new study has suggested that breastfeeding may lessen the negative impact of some environmental pollutants common to high-traffic areas.

The University of the Basque Country's researcher Aitana Lertxundi set out to study the developmental repercussions of exposure to PM2.5 pollution particle matter and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the first years of life.

Among the results, she found an inverse relationship between exposure to pollution particle matter and babies' motor development and also studied the effects of NO2 on mental development.

In babies who were breastfed on mother's milk for at least four months, neither the PM2.5 particle matter nor the NO2 were shown to have a harmful effect on babies for at least four months, suggesting that breastfeeding has a protective effect.

The study is published in Journal Environment International.