Use of breast feeding indicators for assessment of current feeding practices.
To investigate the current breast feeding practices, a survey was conducted cross sectionally on 2000 children aged less than 2 years recruited from 6 MCH centers in Alexandria governorate. The median duration of breast feeding was 19.4 months. Only one quarter of infants were exclusively breast fed for the first four months of age with a mean duration of 2.4+2.5 months. Predominantly breast feeding rate was 0.36, while timely complementary breast feeding rate(6-9 months) was 0.66. Continued breast feeding rate(one year) was 0.73 while that for two years was 0.3. Results also indicated that 40% of infants were receiving food from a bottle with a nipple/teat regardless of whether or not the infant was breast fed. These findings implicate that promotion of breast feeding should receive priority in health programs activities.
El-Sahn
F F
FF
Nutrition Department, High Institute of Public Health.
Kharboush
I F
IF
Nossier
S A
SA
D000367:Age Factors; D001903:Bottle Feeding / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004522:Educational Status; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005191:Family Characteristics / Q000208:ethnology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015993:Life Tables; D008430:Maternal-Child Health Centers; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*