A new study published in the specialist journal Rheumatology provides a new reason for breastfeeding babies: breastfeeding reduces the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory rheumatism.
Rheumatoid arthritis is defined by Inserm as “a disease of the joints manifested by persistent inflammation”. It is due to an imbalance in the immune system and most often appears between the ages of 40 and 60 in women. It occurs when painful joints swell and deform, especially in the hands, wrists and knees.
Researchers from international universities (University Hospitals in Birmingham, University of Guangzhou in China, and University of Hong Kong) studied more than 7,000 Chinese women over the age of 50. One in 10 women suffered from polyarthritis. It appeared that those who had breastfed their children were twice as affected by this joint disease. The longer the breastfeeding period, the lower the risk of developing this rheumatism.
“This is the first study to show a link between breastfeeding and a reduction in the risk of rheumatoid arthritis in the Chinese population, a population where breastfeeding is more common than in Western countries,” explain the researchers.
Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common inflammatory rheumatism. In France it is estimated that 200,000 people would be affected.
Numerous studies have touted the merits of breastfeeding on the health of babies and mothers. While it prevents in particular the risk of allergies or respiratory infections in the baby, it would reduce the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and fight against hypertension in the mother.
