Breastfeeding and trajectories of children's cognitive development.

The aim of this study was to examine the association of breastfeeding practices with the growth trajectories of children's cognitive development. We used data from the Child Development Supplement (CDS) of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) with variables on presence and duration of breastfeeding and standardized test scores obtained during three different panel waves (N = 2681). After adjusting for covariates we found that breastfed children had higher test scores but that breastfed and non-breastfed children had similar growth trajectories in test scores over time. The results indicate that breastfeeding has an important association with test scores, and that subsequent schooling and other experiences during adolescence do not eliminate the breastfeeding gap that appears in very early childhood.

Does the amount of school choice matter for student engagement?

School choice may increase student engagement by enabling students to attend schools that more closely match their needs and preferences. But this effect on engagement may depend on the characteristics of the choices available. Therefore, we consider how the amount of educational choice of different types in a local educational marketplace affects student engagement using a large, national population of 8th grade students. We find that more choice of regular public schools in the elementary and middle school years is associated with a lower likelihood that students will be severely disengaged in eighth grade, and more choices of public schools of choice has a similar effect but only in urban areas. In contrast, more private sector choice does not have such a general beneficial effect.

Emerging political and demographic divides: State politics, welfare generosity, and adult mortality in U.S. states 1977-2017.

Geographic disparities in adult mortality within the US have grown over the past several decades, but the reasons for these trends remain unclear. In this article, we examine trends in adult mortality (ages 55+) across US states from 1977 to 2017, paying close attention to the shifting geographic pattern of high- and low-mortality states. We find that states in the South tended to fall behind the rest of the country in the 1970s and 1980s, while states in the Great Plains and Mountain West tended to fall behind in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. In contrast, states on the East and West Coasts have tended to see considerable improvement in mortality. We consider the role of state-level per-capita spending on public welfare programs in the mortality experience of states between 1977 and 2017. We use fixed effects models to show that greater state welfare generosity predicts greater yearly reductions in mortality. State shifts toward more generous welfare spending regimes may contribute to significant geographic divergences in adult mortality in the United States.

Does breastfeeding contribute to the racial gap in reading and math test scores?

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of divergent breastfeeding practices between Caucasian and African American mothers on the lingering achievement test gap between Caucasian and African American children. METHODS: The Child Development Supplement of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, beginning in 1997, followed a cohort of 3563 children aged 0-12 years. Reading and math test scores from 2002 for 1928 children were linked with breastfeeding history. Regression analysis was used to examine associations between ever having been breastfed and duration of breastfeeding and test scores, controlling for characteristics of child, mother, and household. RESULTS: African American students scored significantly lower than Caucasian children by 10.6 and 10.9 points on reading and math tests, respectively. After accounting for the impact of having been breastfed during infancy, the racial test gap decreased by 17% for reading scores and 9% for math scores. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings indicate that breastfeeding explains 17% and 9% of the observed gaps in reading and math scores, respectively, between African Americans and Caucasians, an effect larger than most recent educational policy interventions. Renewed efforts around policies and clinical practices that promote and remove barriers for African American mothers to breastfeed should be implemented.