New research presented during the 2019 annual meeting for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology revealed that children who were exclusively breastfed for three months or longer had significantly lower odds of having eczema at age six compared with children who were not breastfed or were breastfed for less time.
Of the 1,520 children in the study, about 300 had been diagnosed with eczema at some point in their lives, and 58.5% of the 6-year-old children had eczema at the time of the follow up. Children with higher socioeconomic status or a family history of food allergies had higher odds of being diagnosed with eczema.
The study’s lead author said that babies “who were exclusively breastfed for three months or longer were significantly less likely (adjusted odds ratio: 0.477) to have continued eczema at age 6, compared with peers who were never breastfed or who were breastfed for less than three months.” She added that "while exclusive breastfeeding may not prevent kids from getting eczema, it may protect them from experiencing extended flare-ups."
