Main roads
-
Breastfeeding may have a protective effect against ADHD
-
Boys and girls who were breastfed more often were less likely to have ADHD symptoms
-
Exclusive breastfeeding for six months provided the strongest protection
TUESDAY, June 30, 2026 (NewsDay News) – Want to protect your child from ADHD?
A new study suggests that breastfeeding may be a way to reduce their risk.
Children who were breastfed were less likely to develop ADHD symptoms as preschoolers and elementary school students, researchers recently reported in a journal. Biological psychiatry.
“We found that the longer a child was exclusively breastfed (up to six months), the lower the level of ADHD symptoms at ages 3, 5 and 8,” said the lead researcher. Dr. Berit Skretting Solberg it is said in the news. He is a psychologist at the University of Bergen in Norway.
Breast milk is unique to human babies and contains many nutrients that are beneficial for brain development, the researchers said in a background note. These include long-chain fatty acids, amino acids, antibodies, and beneficial bacteria.
For the new study, researchers followed more than 37,600 children who participated in the Longitudinal Study of Norwegian Families. Mothers reported how often the babies were exclusively breastfed, as well as when they were introduced with other liquids or solid foods.
The results showed that breastfeeding reduced the likelihood of ADHD in both boys and girls. The effect was greatest at ages 3 and 5 and slightly weaker at age 8.
The researchers found that all breastfeeding was beneficial, but the protective effect increased with duration and frequency. Children who were exclusively breastfed for six months were strongly protected against ADHD.
The researchers also took additional measures to rule out genetics as a possible explanation by adjusting for known influences such as family history of ADHD. The team also compared siblings who were breastfed differently from the same mother.
“Even after these adjustments, there was a clear but moderate protective effect of duration of exclusive breastfeeding on later ADHD symptoms,” Solberg said.
However, more studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm this link and see if it exists in places outside of Norway, the researchers said.
Solberg said the protective effect may be even stronger in other areas where breastfeeding is less common.
“In our society, heredity is probably the strongest risk factor for ADHD. However, since ADHD – like other neurodevelopmental disorders – is influenced by various factors, our study shows that the degree of breastfeeding can also protect against the development of ADHD symptoms in young children”, – he said.
More information
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more information benefits of breastfeeding.
SOURCES: University of Bergen, news release, June 26, 2026; Biological psychiatryJune 19, 2026
What does this mean for you?
Mothers can protect their babies from ADHD by breastfeeding.
