Breast-feeding Performance Index: a composite index to describe overall breast-feeding performance among infants under 6 months of age.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a composite index to describe the overall breast-feeding performance of infants<6 months of age; and, using this index, to identify the factors associated with poor breast-feeding practices and the association between breast-feeding and infant morbidity.


METHODS
The 2003 Demographic and Health Survey was a multi-stage cluster sample survey of 4320 households in Timor-Leste which covered 573 infants aged<6 months. Breast-feeding Performance Index (BPI) was constructed by allocating one point for each of seven infant feeding practices: first suckling within an hour of birth; absence of prelacteals; non-use of feeding bottles; current breast-feeding; not receiving liquids; not receiving formula or other milk; and not receiving solids in the last 24 hours. BPI was treated as the dependent variable in univariate and multivariate analyses to identify the factors associated with poor breast-feeding.


RESULTS
Exclusive breast-feeding rate was 29.9%. The BPI (mean 4.4, standard deviation 1.77) was categorised as low, average and high according to tertiles. Multivariate analysis indicated that infants from the richest households were 1.70 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-2.77) times more likely to have 'low BPI' than the poorest. Maternal BMI<18.5 kg m(-2) was predictive of poor breast-feeding (odds ratio=1.79; 95% CI 1.27-2.52). In the 'low' BPI group, the incidence of diarrhoea (13.4%) and acute respiratory infections (20.7%) during the previous two weeks was significantly higher than in 'average' (4.3 and 9.3%) and 'high' BPI groups (4.6 and 5.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
Creating a composite index to assess the overall breast-feeding performance among infants<6 months of age is feasible. BPI can be effectively used to identify target groups for breast-feeding promotion interventions.
Senarath
Upul
U
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Dibley
Michael J
MJ
Agho
Kingsley E
KE
D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012923:Social Class