Breast-fed babies have less risk of celiac disease

A new study has concluded that breast-feeding significantly lowers the risk of a child developing celiac disease.

Celiac disease is a common gastrointestinal problem caused by intolerance to a grain protein called gluten.

Dr. Tony Akobeng the lead investigator says that breast-feeding at the time of solid food introduction significantly reduces the risk of celiac disease, and the longer a baby is breast-fed, the more likely it is that the child will not develop the symptoms of celiac disease.

Akobeng of Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals in the UK and colleagues reviewed six studies which involved more than 1,100 individuals with celiac disease and almost 3500 comparison subjects.

Apart from one small study involving just 8 cases and 73 controls, all of the other studies found an association between increasing duration of breast-feeding and a decreased risk of celiac disease.

When compared with infants who were not breast-fed at the time of gluten introduction, breast-fed infants were 52-percent less likely to develop celiac disease.

The investigators do not know how this protection is achieved but suggest it may simply be that breast-feeding during weaning leads to less gluten exposure, and might also reduce intestinal infection that might reduce the risk of celiac disease in susceptible infants.

The researchers also say that it is not clear whether breast-feeding delays the onset of symptoms or provides a permanent protection against the disease.

The study is published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, November 21, 2005.