Review of the Epidemiologic Evidence for an Association Between Infant Feeding and Infant Health

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 615-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Grace Kovar ◽  
Mary K. Serdula ◽  
James S. Marks ◽  
David W. Fraser
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Infant Feeding ◽  
Breast Feeding ◽  
Intellectual Development ◽  
Infant Health ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Disease Specific

The approach in this paper is to investigate the health impact of feeding infants breast milk or its substitutes in the United States and other industrialized countries today. This report is limited to an evaluation of epidemiologic and clinical studies of human populations conducted in the United States and other industrialized countries and published since 1970. QUESTIONS ADDRESSED This review addresses five questions on breast-feeding: 1. Is breast-feeding associated with lower post-neonatal mortality than alternative forms of feeding? 2. Is breast-feeding associated with lower infectious disease-specific morbidity than alternative forms of feeding? 3. Is breast-feeding associated with lower rates of allergic disease-specific morbidity than alternative forms of feeding? 4. Is breast-feeding associated with malnutrition as indicated by either unusually rapid growth or faltering growth? 5. Is breast-feeding associated with bonding or with better psychological and intellectual development? QUESTIONS NOT ADDRESSED The decision to focus on specific questions meant that several issues could not be addressed. For example, the relationship between breast-feeding and fertility, the possible impact of breast-feeding on the mother's health, and the possible impact of a mother's health condition or her use of drugs on infant feeding are not discussed, nor are medical characteristics of the infant that might make breast-feeding difficult or inadvisable. Thus, several factors that should be taken into consideration in evaluating whether breast-feeding should be encouraged or discouraged in specific circumstances are not discussed in this section. Biochemical and immunologic laboratory studies and animal studies have also not been reviewed. Such studies are potentially valuable, and the decision to exclude them should in no way be interpreted as failure to recognize their importance.

INTRODUCTION

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 589-590
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Infant Feeding ◽  
Breast Feeding ◽  
Infant Health ◽  
Feeding Practices ◽  
The United States ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Infant Feeding Practices ◽  
Breast Feed

This report focuses on the recent scientific literature concerning infant feeding worldwide. The first four papers examine infant-feeding practices in the United States; the last five papers focus on such practices in developing countries. DOMESTIC REPORT The domestic section of the report examines the available literature from industrialized countries that may be relevant to the United States' situation. In brief, the findings of the domestic report are that the evidence is generally inconclusive that breast-feeding has a large, positive effect on infant health in the United States. Modest protective effects may exist with regard to gastroenteritis. The evidence is somewhat stronger among American Indian and Alaskan native populations in which risk of infant morbidity and mortality is high. Little information exists on the effects in disadvantaged urban groups. The available evidence concerning trends in infant-feeding practices indicates that the rate and duration of breast-feeding are increasing, especially among the more affluent groups. The evidence is less clear among the disadvantaged. In general, lower socioeconomic groups are less likely to breast-feed. INTERNATIONAL REPORT The international section of the report examines some of the central issues regarding methods of infant feeding in the developing world and discusses the implications of the findings. In developing countries, where infant mortality is much higher than in the United States, the potential for breast-feeding to be an important determinant of infant survival is much greater. Sanitation is likely to be poorer; traditional foods offered in lieu of breast milk are likely to be nutritionally deficient; and commercial formula—if available and used—is more likely to be inappropriately diluted and stored.

Health Education in the Border Corridor

1991 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 26-29
Author(s):  
Hope Isaacs
Keyword(s):  
Infant Feeding ◽  
Breast Feeding ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Infant Health ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
World Health ◽  
Mexico Border ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
United States Mexico

Despite closely maintained familial connections and cultural traditions, the Hispanic population spanning the United States-Mexico border has diverged sharply from its traditional infant feeding practices. Successive reports document a trend away from the long-established cultural pattern of breast-feeding among Hispanic mothers. At the same time, World Health Organization reports have stimulated greater awareness among health care professionals of the positive impact of breast-feeding on infant health rates in Third World countries. This paper describes a multistage project undertaken by a binational team of nursing professionals and an anthropologist. Project goals were to research, design, and implement a mode of intervention which would encourage better management of infant feeding and which could be clinically applied on both the Mexican and U.S. sides of the international border.

Mortality and Infectious Disease Associated with Infant-Feeding Practices in Developing Countries

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 702-727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janine M. Jason ◽  
Phillip Nieburg ◽  
James S. Marks
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Infant Mortality ◽  
Protective Effect ◽  
Infant Feeding ◽  
Breast Feeding ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The United States ◽  
Less Developed Countries ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Infectious Illness

This review examines the available studies bearing on the relation between infant-feeding mode and infectious illness in the populations of less-developed countries. A companion critical review of studies of the relationship of infant-feeding methods and infection in industrialized countries has concluded that, although laboratory studies provide biologic plausibility for a lower infection rate in breast-fed infants, an effect, if present, is apparently modest.39 The strongest evidence for a protective effect of breast-feeding in industrialized countries is for gastrointestinal (diarrheal) illness. In this review of studies among populations in developing countries we found the evidence for an important protective effect of breast-feeding against infectious illness to be much stronger. This conclusion was reached despite serious problems in the design of many of the studies reviewed. One characteristic that distinguishes populations in less-developed countries from those of industrialized ones is the infant mortality. Even today, infant mortality for much of the world is up to ten times higher than infant mortality in the United States and Northern Europe.46 This undoubtedly reflects differences in sanitation, nutrition, housing, and other indicators of socioeconomic status. Much of the difference in rates of infant and child mortality and morbidity is attributable to high rates of infectious illness, especially gastrointestinal disease. Thus, in these populations, the positive effects of breast-feeding are of greater potential importance for the health of the infant population and should be easier to detect in clinical and epidemiologic studies. In this review we will address the following key questions: (1) whether the method of infant feeding (breast v other) is associated with differences in rates of mortality, both overall and infectious, and in rates of infectious morbidity in less-developed countries;

scholarly journals A mixed-methods longitudinal study of Marshallese infant feeding beliefs and experiences in the United States: a study protocol

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Britni L. Ayers ◽  
Cari A. Bogulski ◽  
Lauren Haggard-Duff ◽  
James P. Selig ◽  
Pearl A. McElfish
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Infant Feeding ◽  
Exclusive Breastfeeding ◽  
Infant Health ◽  
The United States ◽  
Breastfeeding Intention ◽  
Maternal And Infant Health

Abstract Background Arkansas has the largest population of Marshallese Pacific Islanders residing in the continental United States. Marshallese are disproportionately burdened by poorer maternal and infant health outcomes. Exclusive breastfeeding can prevent or help mitigate maternal and infant health disparities. However, exclusive breastfeeding among United States Marshallese communities remains disproportionately low, and the reasons are not well documented. This paper describes the protocol of a mixed-methods concurrent triangulation longitudinal study designed to explore the beliefs and experiences that serve as barriers and/or facilitators to exclusive breastfeeding intention, initiation, and duration among Marshallese mothers in northwest Arkansas. Methods The mixed-methods design collects qualitative and quantitative data during simultaneous data collection events, at third trimester, six weeks postpartum, and six months postpartum. Quantitative and qualitative data will be analyzed separately and then synthesized during the interpretation phase. The research team will disseminate results to study participants, research stakeholders, the broader Marshallese community, and fellow researchers. Discussion Findings and results will be presented in subsequent manuscripts upon completion of the study. This study will be an important first step to better understand beliefs and experiences to exclusive breastfeeding intention, initiation, and duration in this community and will inform tools and interventions to help improve health outcomes. The study will also aid in filling the gap in research and providing essential information on the infant feeding beliefs and barriers among a Marshallese community in Arkansas.

scholarly journals Incidence of Benign Meningiomas in the United States: Current and Future Trends

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Bhala ◽  
Douglas R Stewart ◽  
Victoria Kennerley ◽  
Valentina I Petkov ◽  
Philip S Rosenberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Cancer Registries ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Birth Cohorts ◽  
Benign Meningioma ◽  
Case Count ◽  
Future Burden ◽  
Rate Ratios

Abstract Background Benign meningiomas are the most frequently reported central nervous system tumors in the United States (US), with increasing incidence in past decades. However, the future trajectory of this neoplasm remains unclear. Methods We analyzed benign meningioma incidence of cases identified by any means (eg, radiographically with or without microscopic confirmation) in US Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) cancer registries among 35–84-year-olds during 2004–2017 by sex and race/ethnicity using age-period-cohort (APC) models. We employed APC forecasting models to glean insights regarding the etiology, distribution, and anticipated future (2018–2027) public health impact of this neoplasm. Results In all groups, meningioma incidence overall increased through 2010, then stabilized. Temporal declines were statistically significant overall and in most groups. JoinPoint analysis of cohort rate-ratios identified substantial acceleration in White men born after 1963 (from 1.1% to 3.2% per birth year); cohort rate-ratios were stable or increasing in all groups and all birth cohorts. We forecast that meningioma incidence through 2027 will remain stable or decrease among 55–84-year-olds but remain similar to current levels among 35–54-year-olds. Total meningioma burden in 2027 is expected to be approximately 30,470 cases, similar to the expected case count of 27,830 in 2018. Conclusions Between 2004–2017, overall incidence of benign meningioma increased and then stabilized or declined. For 2018–2027, our forecast is incidence will remain generally stable in younger age groups but decrease in older age groups. Nonetheless, the total future burden will remain similar to current levels because the population is aging.

scholarly journals Public health impact of accelerated immunization against rotavirus infection among children aged less than 6 months in the United States

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 2032-2038
Author(s):  
Derek Weycker ◽  
Mark Andrew Atwood ◽  
Baudouin Standaert ◽  
Girishanthy Krishnarajah
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Health Impact ◽  
Rotavirus Infection
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