Breast-feeding has no impact on intelligence

LONDON (Reuters) - Breast-feeding has no impact on a child's intelligence, according to research published on Wednesday.

Although breast-feeding has many advantages for children including reducing infections, respiratory illnesses and diarrhoea, enhancing a child's intelligence does not appear to be among them.

"Breast-feeding has little or no effect on intelligence in children," Geoff Der of Britain's Medical Research Council, said in a report published online by the British Medical Journal.

The researchers found that although breast-fed children scored higher on IQ tests this was because their mothers tended be more intelligent, better educated and provided a more stimulating environment at home.