The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants be breastfed for one year, and objectives of Healthy People 2010 include increasing to 25% the proportion of women who breastfeed for one year and reducing health disparities. Population-based studies have surveyed infant feeding only through six months, and other studies of long-term breastfeeding may have unrepresentative samples. In 1991, the population-based National Health Interview Survey included a Pregnancy and Smoking Supplement. The analytic sample for this study was restricted to women whose infants were > 1 year and who had complete data for study variables (n=4263). Prevalence of long-term breastfeeding is estimated for different race/ethnic groups and factors related to long-term breastfeeding are explored in multiple logistic regression models. While 9.5% of women breastfed for 1 year, prevalence varied by race/ethnicity (African-Americans 2.8%, Asian 0.7%, Hispanic 12.4%, Native American 2.1%, White 10.2%). As expected, factors significantly and positively associated with long-term breastfeeding included age > 35, white race, being married, living in the Western region, having a college education and not working outside the home. Surprisingly, measures of low socioeconomic status (income, poverty, education < high school) were not associated with reduced likelihood of long-term breastfeeding. Factors significantly decreasing likelihood of long-term breastfeeding included age < 24 years and smoking during pregnancy. Less than 10% of American infants are fed human milk for the recommended duration, far less than baseline estimates included in Healthy People 2010. Accurate estimates of baseline prevalence are essential to future evaluations of national breastfeeding objectives.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the particpant will be able to: 1. Identify sources and limitations of data on long-term breastfeeding. 2. Describe the prevalence of long-term breastfeeding in major population groups in the US. 3. Articulate the importance of accurate prevalence estimates in assessing progress towards national health objectives.
Keywords: Breastfeeding, MCH Epidemiology
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.