SYNOPSIS

Although breast milk is considered the perfect food for babies, there is continued controversy concerning its association with a wide range of health outcomes. Dr Caroline Lodge has led three systematic reviews investigating the associations between breastfeeding and: allergic disease (asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis and food allergy), acute otitis media and, childhood dental caries. Although breastfeeding is clearly beneficial for acute otitis media, the relationship with allergic disease is less clear, and the findings for childhood dental caries are of concern.  These reviews are part of a wider WHO project; a mega review of the association between breastfeeding and health in both low/middle income and high income countries to be published in the Lancet.

During this Grand Round, Caroline will present the findings from her systematic reviews and meta-analyses. In addition, she will briefly present an Asthma Australia funded project that she leads, investigating the role of breast milk microbiome in allergies.

SPEAKER

Dr Caroline Lodge is an NHMRC funded Early Career Researcher based in the Allergy and Lung Health Unit of Melbourne University’s School of Population and Global Health. She also holds an honorary position at MCRI. She completed the breastfeeding systematic reviews for the synthesis and translation arm of the Centre for Food Allergy Research (CFAR) CRE.  Completing her PhD in 2013, Caroline’s current research is focused on lifelong and preconception risk factors associated with allergic disease and lung health phenotypes. She has a special interest in evidence synthesis and apart from the WHO series, has authored or co-authored 9 published systematic reviews /overviews in the past 2 years. She currently holds an Asthma Australia grant as the CIA and 2 NHMRC grants as a CI.