The authors of this study used a study (Mortenson, Michaelsen, Sanders, & Reinisch, 2002) that sampled over 3000 men and women born in Copenhagen Denmark between October 1959 and December 1961. The subjects of this study were given a test (WAIS) to measure their intelligence. This study was meant to test the researcher’s hypothesis which stated that, breast-fed babies were more intelligent than formula-fed babies. The people in the study were placed in one of five categories depending on the extent of the breast-feeding. The researchers also ruled out any preexisting differences in the groups by adjusting for differences in the social class and maternal education of the two groups. Because the subjects were given an actual IQ test rather than an interview, I feel that their results are observable and valid.
The results of the IQ test showed that breast-fed babies scored significantly higher than formula-fed babies. The researches explained that there is a possibility that other differences between the groups could possibly explain the results of their study. Nonetheless they believe that human milk contains numerous hormones and other elements that heighten brain growth and development.
The results of this study are limited to making connections between breast milk and intelligence only. This is because the researchers specifically stated that they believed it was the hormones and other elements in the breast milk that helped heighten brain growth and development, resulting in more intelligent children. Therefore any food that is being studied must contain the exact same hormones and