Grant: Prize - IHDCYH Talks

The CHILD Cohort Study (CHILD) has made many exciting discoveries about how asthma, allergies, obesity and other chronic diseases develop in early childhood. One factor influencing these health outcomes is breastfeeding, which benefits babies in many ways and has long-term positive impacts on a child’s health. CHILD research has shown that breastfed babies have higher levels of beneficial gut bacteria and healthier growth patterns than babies who are not breastfed; that breastfed babies have a lower rate of wheezing – one of the most common reasons infants are hospitalized or receive medical care – and that they have a lower risk of developing asthma as they get older. CHILD has also discovered that how a baby is breastfed matters too – meaning, there is a difference between feeding directly from the breast and feeding pumped breastmilk from a bottle. This video shares CHILD’s discoveries about the role of breastmilk in child health and development with all Canadians. Released in 2020, it was developed with community stakeholders and study participants to ensure its accessibility and appeal to a lay audience. The video is available in English and French, and with Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese subtitles. It has received 37,000 views on YouTube. The video is highly aligned with the IHDCYH’s mandate to promote and support research that improves child health, with particular relevance to the Institute’s strategic priority in Developmental Origins of Health and Disease. Like the IHDCYH, CHILD is committed to identifying and promoting healthy early-life trajectories resulting in resilient and healthy adults.