The effect of breastfeeding on children’s cognitive and noncognitive development

Publication type

Journal Article

Authors

Publication date

August 15, 2012

Summary:

This paper uses Propensity Score Matching methods to investigate the relationship between breastfeeding and children's cognitive and noncognitive development. We find that breastfeeding for four weeks is positively and statistically significantly associated with higher cognitive test scores, by around one tenth of a standard deviation. The association between breastfeeding and noncognitive development is weaker, and is restricted to children of less educated mothers. We conclude that interventions which increase breastfeeding rates would improve not only children's health, but also their cognitive skills, and possibly also their noncognitive development.

Published in

Labour Economics

Volume and page numbers

Volume: 19 , p.496 -515

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2012.05.007

ISSN

9275371

Subject

Notes

Albert Sloman Library Periodicals *restricted to Univ. Essex registered users*

#520700

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