Longitudinal Study Reveals Latent Cognitive Benefits of Extended Breastfeeding After Accounting for Socioeconomic Factors in China

Study in JAMA Network Open finds longer breastfeeding linked to 35% lower risk of poor math scores in teens once socioeconomic factors are adjusted.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 28, 2026, 5:57 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from JAMA Network Open

Isolation of Nutritional Impact From Environmental Factors

For decades, the debate over whether breastfeeding biologically enhances intelligence or simply serves as a marker for high socioeconomic status (SES) has remained unresolved. In many Western nations, wealthier parents often breastfeed longer, creating a statistical bias that favors their children’s cognitive outcomes. However, a recent study led by researchers using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) found the opposite social trend. In this cohort of 5,436 youths, longer breastfeeding was more prevalent among rural, lower-income families with less education. This unique inversion allowed researchers to observe how environmental disadvantages can effectively hide the modest neurological advantages provided by breastfeeding.

Statistical Reversal Following Socioeconomic Correction

The initial, unadjusted data showed no significant correlation between breastfeeding duration and adolescent cognition, but a stark shift occurred once socioeconomic variables were factored into the models. By accounting for parental education, household income, and even the type of cooking fuel used in the home, the researchers revealed that children breastfed for more than six months actually performed better than their peers. Specifically, the fully adjusted models showed significant gains in age-adjusted z-scores for both mathematics and word recognition. This reversal highlights the critical importance of context in developmental research, as the benefits of breastfeeding were initially suppressed by the weight of poverty and limited educational resources.

Quantifying the Reduction in Poor Cognitive Outcomes

The study’s findings were particularly notable when analyzing the risk of falling into the lowest 15th percentile of academic performance. According to the research team, adolescents who were breastfed for longer than the World Health Organization’s minimum recommendation saw a 35% decrease in the odds of poor mathematics performance. Similarly, the odds of poor word recognition were reduced by 36%. These figures suggest that while breastfeeding may not produce "genius-level" shifts across an entire population, it may serve as a protective factor against significant cognitive deficits, particularly in reading and logical reasoning during the formative teen years.