Breast feeding and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in children.

We have evaluated the hypothesis of a protective effect of human milk on the development of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). We studied the feeding histories of 95 diabetic children and compared them with controls consisting of their non-diabetic siblings and a pair matched group of nondiabetic peers of the same age, sex, geographical location, and social background. The incidence of breast feeding in diabetic children was 18%. This was similar to the control group. The duration of breast feedings was also similar among all three groups. There was no difference in the age of introduction of solid food between diabetic and nondiabetic children. Twice as many diabetic children, however, received soy containing formula in infancy as compared to control children. The mean age of onset of IDDM was not related to the type of feeding during infancy. The incidence of positive thyroid antibodies was two and one half times higher in formula-fed diabetic children than in breast-fed ones. In our studies we were unable to document any relationship between the history of breast feeding and subsequent development of IDDM in children.