Formula-fed children are far more susceptible to respiratory illnesses, according to the NRDC, and are at a far greater risk for being hospitalized for a respiratory infection when compared to breastfed children. Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of ear infections among infants and prevents ear infections from reoccurring. According to one study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers led by Dr. Ruowei Li, looked at data on medical office visits for nearly 1,300 children age 6. Compared to children who hadn't been breastfed, the breastfed children had a 31 percent reduced risk of contracting an ear infection, a 32 percent reduced risk of throat infection and a 53 percent reduced risk of sinus infection.
