[Rapid assessment of current infant feeding practices in São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil].
This paper describes a rapid assessment of current infant feeding practices conducted during a mass immunization campaign in an urban area of São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil. Parents or guardians of all infants (<1 year) attending the 8 randomly-selected health centers were interviewed. Median duration of breastfeeding practices was estimated by probit analysis. Of the 719 infants, 692 (96.2%) began breastfeeding, and only 63 (8.9%) were in exclusive breastfeeding. Median duration of total breastfeeding (exclusive plus partial) was 205.93 days. Infants born by cesarean section showed a higher risk of early weaning: OR (95%CI)=1.51 (1.09-2.09) after adjusting for confounding variables (mother's educational level, gestational age, birth weight, whether breastfed). Median duration of total breastfeeding was higher among infants born by vaginal delivery (227.38 days; 95%CI=195.19-271.16) as compared to cesarean section (192.84 days; 95%CI=128.23-273.34). Early introduction of weaning foods such as water/herbal tea and cow's milk was observed with a median age at introduction of 30 days. These findings indicate the need to improve strategies by the public health services to promote exclusive breastfeeding.
Figueiredo
Márcio Gomes
MG
Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.
Sartorelli
Daniela Saes
DS
Zan
Tiago Alves de Brito
TA
Garcia
Evandro
E
da Silva
Lino Cerveira
LC
de Carvalho
Fernando Luiz Pinto
FL
Pascotto
Roberta Correa
RC
Macri
Simoni
S
Cardoso
Marly Augusto
MA
D001938:Brazil; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D014886:Weaning