This is scientific Americans 60 second science. I'm Erica Barris. Got a minute?

Babies benefit from breastfeeding. They have a lower risk of infections, vomiting, and less of a chance of later developing

adult onset diabetes.

And now a study finds that being breastfed helps protect infants who are genetically

predisposed to be at risk for asthma.

The work was recently presented at the European Respiratory Society's International Congress

in London.

Researchers collected data from about 368 Swiss infants,

such as the frequency and intensity of respiratory symptoms.

They also tracked whether the infants were breastfed,

and they performed genomic analysis of the children.

The results, infants carrying genes that put them at increased risk for asthma

had a 27% decrease in developing respiratory symptoms while being breastfed.

The same children showed a trend toward the risk developing respiratory symptoms while being breastfed.

The same children showed a trend toward the risk going back up

when they were not being breastfed.

The study sheds light on the interactions between genes and the environment

when it comes to asthma.

The researchers note that they need to replicate the study

in another group of infants to see if the findings hold.

But if further work has a similar outcome,

it could lead to better ways to let affected individuals breathe easier.

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