Breastfeeding Bonuses---are they for real?

It seems every day there's a new study out that boasts the benefits of breastfeeding.  Some studies suggest breastfeeding can boost a child's IQ, stave off obesity, prevent the mother from getting cancer, diabetes, or heart disease and other such dreadful diseases.  It would really be nice to know if these studies are really true.

Enter a story from ABC News last week.  The story, titled "Are some Breast-Feeding Claims Overblown?", cites research by a woman named Rebecca Goldin.  Goldin is director of research at STATS, which is a non-profit organization that seeks to improve the statistical information in the media.

Goldin, who breastfed all four of her children by the way, reviewed several studies and says she found that only a few benefits of breastfeeding were really true.  Quoting from ABC News, "There's a very well-established case to say nursing reduces ear infections, reduces gastrointestinal problems and has a positive immune effect," said Goldin. "But I felt most of the other claims are really controversial."

The ABC story goes on to say, "Last week, an article in Obstetrics and Gynecology found that breast-feeding can later reduce a woman's risk for heart disease and diabetes.
According to the April 21 study, women who lactated for two years during their lifetime had a 13 percent lower risk for high blood pressure and a 20 percent lower risk for high cholesterol than women who never breastfed.
Yet the study couldn't find a significant link between breast-feeding and actually being diagnosed with heart disease."

Lastly, "Goldin found that, at least in 2006, the American Academy of Pediatrics was citing studies that she found mathematically questionable; including studies that breast milk could reduce obesity, increase I.Q., and even reduce the overall risk of death."

What's the lesson here?  I'm not sure, except to say that often what's reported in the media doesn't dig deep enough into studies to find out what's between the lines, or what isn't even in the studies to begin with.