Trends and Differentials in Breast Feeding: An Update

Hirschman, Charles; Butler, Marilyn

doi:10.2307/2061048

Cited by 56 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Most of the studies reviewed found that birth order (parity) and the age of the mother at the time of birth were also related to breast-feeding (22,(29)(30)(31) , so these two variables were controlled for in the analysis. The mother's age was entered as a continuous variable in the logistic regression analysis, but it is presented in banded form in the descriptive tables.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relative importance of social class and maternal education for breast-feeding initiation

Skafida

2009

Public Health Nutr.

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Objective: To examine changes in breast-feeding take-up rates among young children in Scotland and to assess whether maternal education or occupationbased social class is a stronger and better predictor of breast-feeding take-up. Design: Binary logistic regression models were developed from the first sweep of the Growing Up in Scotland longitudinal survey, for the two cohorts of children. Results: Mothers from more privileged social classes and those with more educational qualifications resulted as more likely to breast-feed. However, maternal education was a better and more robust predictor of breast-feeding take-up compared with social class. There were no significant differences in breast-feeding take-up between the two cohorts and only minor differences between mothers aged 20-29 years and those who stated an intention to bottle-feed prior to birth. Conclusions: The study suggests that the importance of maternal education in influencing breast-feeding has been somewhat overlooked in research based in more developed countries. The results indicate that, compared with occupationrelated social class, maternal education is a more informative, accurate and useful lens through which to understand and explain patterns of breast-feeding take-up. Keywords Infant feeding Lactation Education Social classGrowing policy attention has been paid to the nutrition of infants and the importance of breast milk for child development. Policy documents are based on a wealth of national and international research indicating the positive health outcomes of breast-feeding for mother and child (1)(2)(3)(4) . At an international level, documents like the WHO Innocenti Declaration (5) and the European Commission's Protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding in Europe (6) reflect the supranational impetus in promoting breast-feeding. At a UK-wide level, this is seen with programmes such as the UK Baby Friendly Initiative. At the Scottish level, the Scottish Joint Breastfeeding Initiative and the Infant Feeding Strategy for Scotland (7) reflect a policy agenda which acknowledges the importance of breast-feeding in improving children's chances for a healthy future. More importantly, Scotland recently introduced the Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005, thus becoming the first nation where breast-feeding has become a legal right (8) . This makes Scotland a unique and interesting platform for research on infant feeding.Despite this policy impetus, a recent Scottish Government research report based on Millennium Cohort Study data showed that breast-feeding take-up in Scotland was low at 64?7 %, and notably lower than in England at 72?2 % (9) . A series of national and international initiatives have endorsed breast-feeding, but it appears that mothers, particularly in Scotland, are less inclined towards the breast-feeding option. While maternal education and social class go some way in explaining differences in breast-feeding trends, there seem to be independent policy-related or socio-cultural elements at work which make mot...

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relative importance of social class and maternal education for breast-feeding initiation

Skafida

2009

Public Health Nutr.

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“…5,10 In particular, studies have also consistently found racial differences 4 in the decision to breastfeed, and foreign born women are more likely to breastfeed than are US-born women. 18 Other maternal characteristics such as religion (Catholic women are more likely to breastfeed than are Protestant women 10,15,19 ) and marital status influence the decision to breastfeed. The support of the infant's father is important in the breastfeeding decision, 10 and married women are more likely to breastfeed than are single women.…”

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confidence: 99%

The Decision to Breastfeed in the United States: Does Race Matter?

2001

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“…Although data on the percentage of infants who were breast-fed in the United States from 1930 to 1950 are less satisfactory than later data, there is no question that the trend was downward. Data from the National Fertility Study Hendershot 1979, Hirschman andButler 1981), indicate that from 1931 to 1935, Ͼ70% of first-born infants and a somewhat lesser percentage of second-born infants were initially breast-fed and 40% of infants were breast-fed for at least 6 mo. By 1946By -1950 breast-feeding of first-born infants had decreased to 50% and only 20% were breast-fed for at least 6 mo.…”

Section: The Years 1930 -1970mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A survey of hospitals carried out in 1945 (Bain 1948) indicated that 69% of infants discharged Յ7 d after birth were breast-fed and 60% of infants discharged Ͼ7 d after birth were breast-fed. The data of Bain regarding percentage of infants initially breast-fed are based on a review of discharge records and therefore are likely to be more accurate than the recall data of Hirschman and co-workers Hendershot 1979, Hirschman andButler 1981). During the 1950s and 1960s, the trend in breastfeeding was steadily downward, and by the early 1970s, only ϳ25% of infants were breast-fed at age 1 wk and only 14% between 2 and 3 mo of age (Fig.…”

Section: The Years 1930 -1970mentioning

confidence: 99%

Infant Feeding in the 20th Century: Formula and Beikost

Fomon

2001

The Journal of Nutrition

170

120

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The early years of the 20th century were notable for improvements in general sanitation, dairying practices and milk handling. Most infants were breast-fed, often with some formula feeding as well. Availability of the home icebox permitted safe storage of milk and infant formula, and by the 1920s, feeding of orange juice and cod liver oil greatly decreased the incidence of scurvy and rickets. Use of evaporated milk for formula preparation decreased bacterial contamination and curd tension of infant formulas. From 1930 through the 1960s, breastfeeding declined and cow's milk and beikost were introduced into the diet at earlier and earlier ages. Although commercially prepared formulas, including iron-fortified formulas replaced home-prepared formulas, few infants were breast-fed or formula fed after 4 -6 mo of age. Iron deficiency was prevalent. From 1970 through 1999, a resurgence of breast-feeding was associated with a prolongation of formula feeding and an increase in usage of iron-fortified formulas. By the end of the century, formula feeding of older infants had largely replaced feeding of fresh cow's milk and the prevalence of iron deficiency had greatly decreased. J. Nutr. 131: 409S-420S, 2001.

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Trends and Differentials in Breast Feeding: An Update

Cited by 56 publications

References 17 publications

The relative importance of social class and maternal education for breast-feeding initiation

The relative importance of social class and maternal education for breast-feeding initiation

The Decision to Breastfeed in the United States: Does Race Matter?

Infant Feeding in the 20th Century: Formula and Beikost

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