Breastfeeding reduces cancer risks says expert report

"It's best for mothers to breastfeed exclusively for up to 6 months and then add other liquids and foods. Strong evidence shows that breastfeeding protects mothers against breast cancer and babies from excess weight gain."

That's one of the 10 recommendations in an expert report produced by the World Cancer Research Fund released today. See:
http://www.wcrf-uk.org/research_science/recommendations.lasso

Another cites the link between excess weight gain and cancer: "Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight. Convincing evidence shows that weight gain and obesity increases the risk of a number of cancers, including bowel and breast cancer."

As our poster on infant feeding and obesity notes, an artificially-fed infant consumes 30,000 more calories than a breastfed infant by 8 months - equivalent to 120 chocolate bars.

For a large version, with references to scientific studies, see:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/shop/posters.html#obesity

According to a Government survey, nine in ten mothers who gave up breastfeeding within six weeks said they would have preferred to breastfeed for longer, as did 40% of those who breastfed for at least 6 months. See page 211 Infant Feeding Survey 2005:
http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles/infant-feeding/infant-feeding-survey-2005

We have issued a press release on how this report should give added impetus to empowering mothers to breastfeed, and, in particular, heed the advice of health experts as it revises the law on the marketing of infant formula and follow-on formula. See the report we prepared for the Baby Feeding Law Group, Protecting breastfeeding - Protecting babies fed on formula via the press release at:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/press/press31oct07.html