Interview: Breastfeeding increases intelligence, boosts immunity: UN expert

by Lyndal Rowlands UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Babies who are breastfed experience lifelong benefits, including increased intelligence and improved immunity, said Werner Schultink, chief of nutrition of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). "Breast milk is the most optimal food for newborns -- it contains exactly the right amounts of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals -- it is basically completely geared towards their needs," Schultink said in a recent interview with Xinhua. Breastfed children are less likely to develop childhood illnesses such as pneumonia, but they are also less likely to develop diabetes or obesity later in life, he said. Perhaps even more compelling are the...