[Long-term health effects of infant feeding practices]. / Odlegle skutki zdrowotne sposobu zywienia niemowlat.

ABSTRACT

A growing body of research suggest that infant feeding can influence the prevalence of several chronic diseases of childhood, adolescence and adult life. Artificial infant feeding and too early supplementation of breastfeeding have been identified as a risk factors for different multifactorial diseases. Breast milk feeding promotes better intellectual development from early childhood trough the later life. As a genetic predisposition and environmental factors are understood more completely, the evidences for the role of breastfeeding in health and development is becoming more important for programming health care and standards. Recommendations of the necessary changes in the infants and young children feeding practices in Poland are presented.