WHO COLLABORATIVE STUDY ON BREAST FEEDING

WHO, concerned with the declining breast feeding rate in developing countries, has organized investigations in nine different countries of different aspects of breast feeding and breast milk with the ultimate aim of formulating programmes of intervention. The basic epidemiological study on 24000 mother/child pairs is just completed and some preliminary data are reported on the pattern of breast feeding in the three studied socio-economic groups--urban elite, urban poor and traditional rural--which differ significantly in their breast feeding rate as well as in the pattern of return of menstruation in breast-feeding and non-breast-feeding mothers.Concerned with the declining breast-feeding rate in developing countries, WHO has organized investigations in 9 different countries of different aspects of breast-feeding and breast milk with the ultimate aim of formulating programs of intervention. The basic study was begun in 1975 and concentrated on the epidemiology of breast-feeding among 3 different socioeconomic groups, the urban elite, urban poor, and traditional rural. 9 countries, Chile, Guatemala, the Philippines, India, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zaire, Sweden, and Hungary, participated in the study, and altogether almost 24,000 mother/child pairs were involved. Data from all 9 countries have now been compiled, and are being centrally analyzed. Results of a few of the important preliminary findings are reported here. As far as duration of breast-feeding is concerned, significant differences are appearing between the 3 different socioeconomic groups in each country. In most settings, it is apparent that breast-feeding declines most rapidly among the urban elite group and is most prolonged in the rural traditional populations. The preliminary data corroborate the long-held position that postpartum amenorrhea is more prolonged in breast-feeding than in non-breast-feeding mothers. The breast-feeding development in Sweden is contrasted with that in Guatemala, and marked differences are noted in breast-feeding patterns. It was felt that once the various factors influencing breast-feeding patterns are better understood, the specific action and intervention program suitable to each country and setting could be initiated to improve infant nutrition. The action program thus developed would be more effective and efficient since it would be addressed specifically to the factors influencing breast-feeding and infant feeding in a given area.