scholarly journals Lifetime health outcomes of breast-feeding: a comparison of the policy documents of five European countries

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 1653-1662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Martin-Bautista ◽  
Heather Gage ◽  
Julia von Rosen-von Hoewel ◽  
Viktoria Jakobik ◽  
Kirsi Laitinen ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveTo (i) identify and describe prevailing infant feeding policy documents in five diverse European countries; (ii) analyse types of health outcomes for the infant that are associated with feeding breast milk rather than formula milk in the documents of different countries; and (iii) assess the extent to which documents reflect the WHO global recommendation of exclusive breast-feeding for 6 months.DesignDocumentary review and analysis.SettingFive geographically dispersed countries of Europe (England, Finland, Germany, Hungary and Spain).SubjectsPolicy documents on infant feeding were identified; statements that linked choice between breast- and formula-feeding to a health outcome for the infant were extracted.ResultsTwenty-six documents (varied authorships, dates, length and character) were identified: four from England; two from Finland; nine from Germany; six from Hungary; and five from Spain. There was no consistency in the way in which health outcomes were cited as factors in the recommendations for breast- rather than formula-feeding. Seven documents contained no reference to the health implications of infant feeding choice. Of 203 statements in remaining documents citing health outcomes, 24·1 % mentioned general health effects, 32·5 % protection against infections, 31·5 % long-term conditions (e.g. diabetes, CVD) and 11·8 % mentioned allergy. Health outcomes were linked to exclusive breast-feeding in only 25 % of statements.ConclusionsPolicy documents in the study countries varied in the extent to which they reflect the health outcomes for the baby of breast-feeding, and this may limit effective promotion by health professionals. There is scope to improve the process of bringing evidence and recommendations into policy documents.

2011 ◽  
Vol 152 (41) ◽  
pp. 1641-1647
Author(s):  
Viktória Jakobik ◽  
Elena Martin-Bautista ◽  
Heather Gage ◽  
Julia Von Rosen-Von Hoewel ◽  
Kirsi Laitinen ◽  
...  

Aims: To identify and describe infant feeding policy documents in Hungary and compare them to the documents of other four European countries (England, Finland, Germany and Spain). The question was also addressed how the phenomenon of nutritional programming was represented in the documents. Subjects: Policy documents on infant feeding were identified and analyzed in the five European countries by using uniform methods for searching and coding. Results: Twenty-six documents were identified: 4 in England, 2 in Finland, 9 in Germany, 6 in Hungary and 5 in Spain. Altogether 203 statements linked to references were identified: benefits of breast-feeding in general (24%), protection against infections (32%), long-term advantages like the prevention of diabetes (31%) or allergy (12%). Considerable variations were found within and between countries in the evaluation of the duration and character of the positive effects. The majority of the statements in the Hungarian documents referred either to the role of breast-feeding in infection protection (n = 8), or to long-term protective effects (n = 13). Conclusion: Policy documents in the study countries varied both in their extent and in the description of the long-term effects of infant nutrition. Majority of the documents failed to contain evidence based discussion of the phenomenon of early nutritional programming. Orv. Hetil., 2011, 152, 1641–1647.


2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (15) ◽  
pp. 2810-2818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy L Frith ◽  
Shirin Ziaei ◽  
Ruchira Tabassum Naved ◽  
Ashraful Islam Khan ◽  
Iqbal Kabir ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveTo determine if exclusive breast-feeding counselling modifies the association of experience of any lifetime or specific forms of domestic violence (DV) on duration of exclusive breast-feeding (EBF).DesignIn the MINIMat trial pregnant women were randomized to receive either usual health messages (UHM) or usual health messages with breast-feeding counselling (BFC) in eight visits. During pregnancy (30 weeks), lifetime experience of any or specific forms of DV was measured. Infant feeding practice information was collected from 0 to 6 months at 15 d intervals.SettingMatlab, Bangladesh.SubjectsPregnant and postpartum women (n 3186) and their infants.ResultsAmong women in the UHM group, those who had experienced any lifetime DV exclusively breast-fed for a shorter duration than women who did not experience any lifetime DV (P=0·02). There was no difference, however, in duration of EBF among women in the BFC group based on their experience of any lifetime DV exposure (P=0·48). Using Cox regression analysis, there was an interaction of exposure to any lifetime DV, sexual violence and controlling behaviour, and counselling group with duration of breast-feeding at or before 6 months (P-interaction≤0·08). Among the UHM group, experience of any lifetime DV, sexual violence or controlling behaviour was associated with fewer days of EBF (P<0·05). In contrast, among the BFC group, experience of DV was not associated with duration of EBF.ConclusionsThe experience of DV compromises EBF and the support of breast-feeding counselling programmes could assist this vulnerable group towards better infant feeding practices.


2018 ◽  
Vol 119 (9) ◽  
pp. 1012-1018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pantea Nazeri ◽  
Hosein Dalili ◽  
Yadollah Mehrabi ◽  
Mehdi Hedayati ◽  
Parvin Mirmiran ◽  
...  

AbstractDespite substantial progress in the global elimination of iodine deficiency, lactating mothers and their infants remain susceptible to insufficient iodine intake. This cross-sectional study was conducted to compare iodine statuses of breast-fed and formula-fed infants and their mothers at four randomly selected health care centres in Tehran. Healthy infants <3 months old and their mothers were randomly selected for inclusion in this study. Iodine was measured in urine and breast milk samples from each infant and mother as well as commercially available infant formula. The study included 124 postpartum mothers (29·2 (sd 4·9) years old) and their infants (2·0 (sd 0·23) months old). The iodine concentrations were 50–184 µg/l for infant formula, compared with a median breast milk iodine concentration (BMIC) of 100 µg/l in the exclusive breast-feeding group and 122 µg/l in the partial formula feeding group. The median values for urinary iodine concentration in the exclusive breast-feeding group were 183 µg/l (interquartile range (IQR) 76–285) for infants and 78 µg/l (IQR 42–145) for mothers, compared with 140 µg/l (IQR 68–290) for infants and 87 µg/l (IQR 44–159) for mothers in the formula feeding group. These differences were not statistically significant. After adjustment for BMIC, ANCOVA revealed that feeding type (exclusive breast-feeding v. partial formula feeding) did not significantly affect the infants’ or mother’s urinary iodine levels. Thus, in an area with iodine sufficiency, there was no difference in the iodine statuses of infants and mothers according to their feeding type.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Stephanie V Wrottesley ◽  
Alessandra Prioreschi ◽  
Wiedaad Slemming ◽  
Emmanuel Cohen ◽  
Cindy-Lee Dennis ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: To (i) describe the infant feeding practices of South African women living in Soweto and (ii) understand from the mothers’ perspective what influences feeding practices. Design: Semi-structured focus group discussions (FGD) and in-depth interviews (IDI) were conducted, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Setting: Soweto, South Africa. Participants: Nineteen mothers were stratified into three FGD according to their baby’s age as follows: 0–6-month-olds, 7–14-month-olds and 15–24-month-olds. Four mothers from each FGD then attended an IDI. Results: Although mothers understood that breast-feeding was beneficial, they reported short durations of exclusive breast-feeding. The diversity and quality of weaning foods were low, and ‘junk’ food items were commonly given. Infants were fed using bottles or spoons and feeding commonly occurred separately to family meal times. Feeding practices were influenced by mothers’ beliefs that what babies eat is important for their health and that an unwillingness to eat is a sign of ill health. As such, mothers often force-fed their babies. In addition, mothers believed that feeding solid food to babies before 6 months of age was necessary. Family matriarchs were highly influential to mothers’ feeding practices; however, their advice often contradicted that of health professionals. Conclusions: In South Africa, interventions aimed at establishing healthier appetites and eating behaviours in early life should focus on: (i) fostering maternal self-efficacy around exclusive breast-feeding; (ii) challenging mixed feeding practices and encouraging more responsive feeding approaches and (iii) engaging family members to promote supportive household and community structures around infant feeding.


2012 ◽  
Vol 109 (6) ◽  
pp. 1154-1161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camille Schwartz ◽  
Claire Chabanet ◽  
Caroline Laval ◽  
Sylvie Issanchou ◽  
Sophie Nicklaus

Early feeding experiences, e.g. related to milk feeding, can affect later food and taste preferences. However, consequences of breast-feeding on taste acceptance are under-investigated. The objective of the present study was to examine the impact of exclusive breast-feeding duration (DEB) on taste acceptance at 6 and 12 months in the same infants (n122). Mothers recorded the DEB. Acceptance of solutions of each of the five basic tastes relative to water was evaluated in the laboratory at 6 and 12 months by the ingestion ratio (IR). Kendall correlations were calculated between the DEB and the IR. Only 16 % completed at least 6 months of exclusive breast-feeding; 79 % had begun complementary feeding by 6 months. At 6 months, infants preferred sweet, salty and umami solutions over water and were indifferent to sour and bitter solutions. The longer an infant was breast-fed, the more s/he accepted the umami solution at 6 months. At 12 months, infants preferred sweet and salty solutions over water and were indifferent to sour, bitter and umami solutions. The relationship between the DEB and acceptance of the umami solution was not observed at 12 months. No relationship was observed between the DEB and sweet, salty, sour and bitter taste acceptance at 6 or 12 months. The association between the DEB and umami taste acceptance at 6 months may relate to the higher glutamate content of human milk compared with formula milk. Beyond the acknowledged metabolic benefits of breast-feeding, this suggests that prolonged breast-feeding could also be associated with an impact on sensory preference at the beginning of complementary feeding.


Author(s):  
R. Mark Beattie ◽  
Anil Dhawan ◽  
John W.L. Puntis

Bottle-feeding 32Type of formula feed 33Complementary feeding 34Although the WHO recommends exclusive breast-feeding for 6 months and partial breast-feeding thereafter, it was recognized that some mothers would be unable, or would choose not to breast-feed, and that these mothers also deserved support to optimize their infant's nutrition. It is important that formula feeds are made up according to instructions and that both formula milk and expressed breast milk is handled in a way that minimizes the risk of bacterial proliferation in the feed. Some simple guidelines are given below: ...


2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Hunsberger ◽  
Anne Lanfer ◽  
Anna Reeske ◽  
Toomas Veidebaum ◽  
Paola Russo ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the association between exclusive breast-feeding and childhood overweight.DesignCross-sectional data are from the baseline survey of the longitudinal cohort study IDEFICS. Exclusive rather than partial breast-feeding is the focus of the study due to the theoretical relationship between exclusive breast-feeding and development of dietary self-regulation. Children's measured heights and weights were used to calculate weight status, while waist-to-height ratio (WtHR) and skinfold measures were examined as alternative indicators of adiposity and fat patterning.SettingExamination centres in eight European countries (Italy, Estonia, Cyprus, Belgium, Sweden, Hungary, Germany and Spain).SubjectsThe analysis included 14 726 children aged 2–9 years for whom early feeding practices were reported by parents in standardized questionnaires.ResultsAfter controlling for education, income and other potential confounders, breast-feeding exclusively for 4–6 months was protective of overweight (including obesity) when compared with children never exclusively breast-fed (OR = 0·73; 95 % CI 0·63, 0·85) across all measures of overweight. Exclusively breast-feeding for 6 months offered slightly more protection than for 4 and 5 months combined (OR = 0·71; 95 % CI 0·58, 0·85). The associations could not be explained by socio-economic characteristics or maternal overweight.ConclusionsThis multi-country investigation indicated that exclusive breast-feeding for 4–6 months may confer protection against overweight in addition to other known benefits. There was no demonstrated benefit of exclusive breast-feeding for more than 6 months or combination feeding for any duration across all measures of overweight examined.


2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 198-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fenglian Xu ◽  
Colin Binns ◽  
Jing Wu ◽  
Re Yihan ◽  
Yun Zhao ◽  
...  

AbstractAimsTo document infant feeding methods in the first six months of life in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China, 2003–2004. Some problems with breast-feeding in the area are explained.MethodsA longitudinal study of infant feeding practices was undertaken. A total of 1219 mothers who delivered babies during 2003 and 2004 were interviewed in five hospitals or institutes, and after discharge were contacted in person or by telephone at approximately monthly intervals to obtain details of infant feeding practices. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore factors associated with breast-feeding initiation.Results‘Any breast-feeding’ rates at discharge and at 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 and 6 months were 92.2, 91.3, 89.9, 88.8, 87.7, 86.0 and 73.0%, respectively. ‘Exclusive breast-feeding’ rates at discharge and at 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 and 6 months were 66.2, 47.6, 30.1, 25.8, 22.1, 13.0 and 6.2%, respectively. The main problem of breast-feeding in Xinjiang was the early introduction of formula or water. The average duration of ‘exclusive breast-feeding’ was 1.8 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7–2.0), of ‘full breast-feeding’ 2.8 months (95% CI 2.7–2.9) and of ‘any breast-feeding’ 5.3 months (95% CI 5.2–5.4).ConclusionsInfant feeding methods in Xinjiang were documented in this study and the main problems with infant feeding in Xinjiang are discussed. Further studies are needed to identify factors associated with ‘exclusive breast-feeding’ and duration.


2004 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 1039-1046 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Berridge ◽  
AF Hackett ◽  
J Abayomi ◽  
SM Maxwell

AbstractObjective:To investigate feeding practices in infants under the age of 4 months in Liverpool, England with particular reference to the cost of infant feeding.Design:A cross–sectional survey consisting of self–completion questionnaires and interviews.Setting:Subjects' homes within Central and South Liverpool Primary Care Trust areas.Subjects:One hundred and forty–nine women (aged 18 to 43 years) and their infants (mean age 13 weeks).Results:The average weekly cost of breast–feeding was £11.58 compared with £9.60 for formula–feeding. Many breast– and formula–feeding women spent money however on items that were not needed or used only once or twice. This was especially true of first–time mothers. Characteristics significantly associated with higher spending were: feeding method – mothers that had or were partially breast–feeding (P=0.001), education – those educated to degree level (P=0.028), socio–economic status – those in social classes I and II (P=0.002) and age – those aged 30 years and over (P=0.003).Conclusions:This study demonstrates that while breast–feeding is often promoted as being free, this is not the case. Better information needs to be given to parents to avoid wasting money on items that are unnecessary, or where cheaper alternatives are available.


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