The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for children up to 6 months of age, which is due to the results of a comparative study of the dependence on the duration of breastfeeding 4 and 6 months and the incidence of gastrointestinal infections in children.

The goal of a unique national study by American scientists at the Medical University of California, USA, led by Dr. C.J. Chantry. was to compare the effect of two modes of full breastfeeding (for 4 to 6 months (group 1) and at least 6 months (second group) on the incidence of respiratory infections in children.

The information in the national project database (The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III) was processed from 1988 to 1994. The study included data on 2277 children aged 6 to 24 months, who for comparison the analysis was divided into five groups based on the duration of breastfeeding. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the impact of the interference factors. The main outcomes evaluated included the odds ratio for pneumonia, more than 3 common cold / flu episodes, more than 3 episodes of acute otitis media (OCO) or wheezing symptoms in the past year, or l '' OCO first diagnosed before 12 months of age.

According to the results of an uncorrected analysis of the influence of interfering factors, children breastfed for 4 to 6 months (n = 223) were more at risk of developing pneumonia than children in the second group (n = 136) ( 6.5% vs 1.6%). No statistically significant difference was found between the first and second groups concerning the development of more than 3 episodes of the common cold / flu (45% vs 41%, respectively), more than 3 episodes of CCA (27% vs 20%, respectively), wheezing symptoms (23% vs 24%, respectively) and CCA diagnosed for the first time before the age of 12 months (49% vs 47%, respectively). Adjusted for interfering factors (demographics, children's exposure to tobacco smoke), the analysis showed a statistically significant increase in the risk of pneumonia (odds ratio [OR] 4.27) and more than 3 episodes of CCA ( OR 1.95) in children with a breastfeeding period of 4 to 6 months compared to the second group.

Thus, the results obtained during the study corroborate the recommendations currently available, according to which children of the first 6 months of life should be exclusively breastfed.