Exclusive Breastfeeding Can Prevent Breast Cancer – NAFDAC DG

Director-general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, has urged nursing mothers to imbibe optimal breastfeeding of their children with a view to lowering the risk of breast and ovarian cancers.

Adeyeye stated this at the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week celebration with the theme; Enabling breastfeeding-making a difference for working parents.

She said breastfed babies have stronger immunity and a reduced risk of suffering many childhood illnesses and infections.

Adeyeye, who was represented by the director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), Mrs. Eva Edwards added that it is also associated with longer-term health benefits including reduced risk of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence.

She said breastfeeding also provides health benefits to mothers, by helping to prevent postpartum bleeding, support child spacing, lower the risk of breast and ovarian cancers and earlier return to pre-pregnancy body weight.

The NAFDAC boss said this year’s theme was apt as it was aimed at strengthening the collaboration of actors across different levels of society to support and promote breastfeeding for working parents so that women can combine breastfeeding and work.

She added that this is important because workplace challenges remain one of the most common reasons for women to stop breastfeeding earlier than recommended.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends early initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, feeding the child only breast milk for the first six months (exclusive breastfeeding), and continuing to breastfeed for up to 24 months or beyond, with introduction of nutritionally adequate and safe complementary (solid) foods at six months.