Children exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life demonstrate measurably lower levels of ADHD symptoms, according to a new study from the University of Bergen.
Researchers tracked breastfeeding patterns and neurodevelopmental outcomes for over 37,000 Norwegian children born between 1999 and 2009, with follow-ups at ages three, five, and eight. The data revealed that any breastfeeding was associated with reduced symptoms, but the protective effect intensified with both duration and exclusivity, peaking at the six-month mark.
Berit Skretting Solberg, a psychiatrist at the University of Bergen and senior consultant at Betanien Hospital, noted that while heredity remains the strongest risk factor, environmental influences play a critical role. “The longer a child was exclusively breastfed, the lower the level of ADHD symptoms,” Solberg stated.
The association was particularly pronounced in girls, who showed the strongest protective links at all measured ages. Researchers suggest the biological mechanisms may involve macronutrients, probiotics, and immune components in breast milk that are crucial for early brain development. Despite the World Health Organization’s recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding for six months, the study observed that participants fully breastfed for fewer than four months on average.