One of the leading causes of illness and death in children is infectious disease. There is clear evidence that breastfeeding provides short-term protection - but the long-term impact on adult health and intellectual development remains controversial.

Research shows that breastfed babies are healthier, but do they grow up to be smarter and healthier adults?

In an effort to determine the effects of breastfeeding on blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol level, overweight and obesity, and intellectual performance, the World Health Organization authorized systematic reviews and meta-analyses of existing data, Evidence on the long-term effects of breastfeeding.

Because nearly all of the studies included in the analyses are observational, residual confounding cannot be completely ruled out. However, the evidence suggests that breastfeeding may have long-term benefits. Subjects who were breastfed experienced (1) lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures, (2) lower serum cholesterol levels, (3) lower incidence of overweight/obesity, (4) lower incidence of type-2 diabetes, and (5) better performance on intelligence tests.

Maybe breastfeeding is the gift FOR life after all.