Children whose mothers exclusively breastfeed them for at least six months may have a lower risk of developing ADHD, according to a first-of-its-kind study.
Breast milk has frequently been associated with improved health outcomes, although experts continue to debate how important it is to a child’s long-term wellbeing.
Most mothers in Britain breastfeed during the first two months after giving birth, but by the six-month point, roughly four in ten have stopped, often moving their babies on to formula milk.
In the new research, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, scientists found that the longer a child was exclusively breastfed, the lower their likelihood of displaying symptoms linked to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
The Norwegian team behind the work said the reason for the apparent protective effect remains uncertain, but suggested breast milk may provide nutrients that are important for brain development.
They concluded that exclusive breastfeeding “could partially protect against childhood ADHD”.
The study comes as a separate report found that the number of children in the UK living with ADHD has increased by a quarter since 2018.
According to Dame Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner who led the report, more than one million children were referred to mental health services in England last year.
Breastfeeding could help protect against childhood ADHD, new research suggests
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition which affects the brain.
Symptoms usually start before the age of 12 and children may present as being easily distracted, hyperactive and impulsive.
Children with ADHD may also find it difficult to concentrate on tasks, sit still and listen to instructions.
Around 750,000 children in the UK are believed to have ADHD and diagnoses have risen sharply in recent years.
The new study, led by experts at the University of Bergen, analysed data from 37,643 children and mothers from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study.
The researchers wanted to find out how many months a child would need to be exclusively breastfed for to reduce their risk of developing ADHD symptoms.
Six months after giving birth, mothers were asked how long they exclusively breastfed, how long they used a combination of formula and breastmilk and when they introduced other liquids or solid foods.
‘We found that the longer a child was exclusively breastfed (up to six months), the lower the level of ADHD symptoms at ages three, five, and eight years’, said Dr Berit Skretting Solberg, consultant psychiatrist and study lead author said.
The association was observed in both boys and girls and was strongest at ages three and five. All breastfeeding showed a protective effect which increased with duration and intensity of breastfeeding.
The researchers concluded: ‘Our findings suggest that full breastfeeding could partially protect against childhood ADHD symptoms,’ but acknowledged further studies need to be done to confirm the findings.
It is the latest study to demonstrate the health benefits of breastfeeding.
In 2025, a major US review found that breastfeeding reduced the risk of infant mortality, rapid weight gain, infections, and allergies.
Experts say rising ADHD diagnoses are putting unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
In England, nearly 550,000 children and adults are awaiting NHS assessments.
Meanwhile, around a third of NEETs – young people not in education, employment or training – have an ADHD diagnosis.
There are also a growing number of experts who question the validity of these numbers, arguing that ADHD is potentially less common than figures suggest.
The new report into the rising number of young people with mental health conditions, published by children’s commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza, argues that the rising rates of diagnosis for ADHD and autism did ‘not necessarily mean rising prevalence’.
The authors add that the rising number of diagnoses may reflect the ‘medicalisation of distress’ where a diagnosis becomes the ‘main route of support’.
