美国国家公共电台 NPR Breast-Fed Kids May Be Less Hyper, But Not Necessarily Smarter, Study Finds

 

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

OK, so here's something we know. Breast-feeding has many health benefits for infants. But what we haven't been so sure about is whether breast milk can also help improve a kid's intelligence. NPR's Allison Aubrey reports on a new study that casts some doubt on the idea that mothers' milk can boost children's brain power.

(SOUNDBITE OF BABY CRYING)

ALLISON AUBREY, BYLINE¹: For moms of newborn babies, breast-feeding can feel like a full-time² job.

YULIA RING: Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness. She's so hungry right now.

AUBREY: I met up with Yulia Ring (ph) as she was out for a stroll with her 10-week-old daughter. And as she peeled off to find a place to feed, she says she's committed to breast-feeding.

RING: It helps to improve her immune system. But also, like, it's good for the mom, too.

AUBREY: Ring is spot on. There's evidence that breast-feeding can lower a mother's risk of breast cancer. And pediatrician Ellie Erickson of Duke University says there are lots of benefits for babies.

ELLIE ERICKSON: There is a strong body of evidence to support that breast-feeding is one of the healthiest things that we can do to support children's immune system.

AUBREY: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies be exclusively breast-fed for about six months. But not all moms can do this. Sometimes it's an issue of milk supply or a medical condition.

ERICKSON: There are a number of reasons why some women are unable to breast-feed.

AUBREY: So if a baby is not breast-fed, is anything lost? A new study helps to answer that question, at least when it comes to kids' brain development.

Researchers followed 8,000 children in Ireland starting at birth. And what they found is that by age 5, kids from similar backgrounds scored about the same on cognitive³ tests, regardless of whether they were breast-fed. Study author Lisa-Christine Girard said the breast-fed kids scored a tad better on some standardized⁴ measures.

LISA-CHRISTINE GIRARD: But yet, it wasn't significant. It wasn't big enough to show a statistical⁵ significance.

AUBREY: Girard says her findings suggest that it's not breast-feeding on its own that boosts brain development. It's likely a whole range of other characteristics and habits that breast-feeding moms tend to share.

GIRARD: For example, mothers who breast-feed, they typically have higher levels of education. They're engaging in less risky⁶ prenatal behaviors. For example, they're not smoking during pregnancy⁷.

AUBREY: And when she factored in those variables, the standalone effect of breast milk was greatly diminished. This new finding does not in any way alter the recommendation to breast-feed. But it does suggest that when it comes to shaping a kid's brain power, breast-feeding alone does not play a leading role. Allison Aubrey, NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF IZZARD'S "GHOST NAPS")

1 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

2 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

3 cognitive   

adj.认知的，认识的，有感知的

参考例句：

• As children grow older,their cognitive processes become sharper.孩子们越长越大，他们的认知过程变得更为敏锐。
• The cognitive psychologist is like the tinker who wants to know how a clock works.认知心理学者倒很像一个需要通晓钟表如何运转的钟表修理匠。

4 standardized   

adj.标准化的

参考例句：

• We use standardized tests to measure scholastic achievement. 我们用标准化考试来衡量学生的学业成绩。
• The parts of an automobile are standardized. 汽车零件是标准化了的。

5 statistical   

adj.统计的，统计学的

参考例句：

• He showed the price fluctuations in a statistical table.他用统计表显示价格的波动。
• They're making detailed statistical analysis.他们正在做具体的统计分析。

6 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

7 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。