Time trend in breast-feeding in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil: 1996-2006.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze time trend in breast-feeding (BF) and exclusive breast-feeding (EBF).


METHODS
Data from a monitoring system, based on surveys conducted during the National Immunization Campaign in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil, in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006, were analyzed. Study population was comprised of 19,044 children younger than one year of age, who were present in vaccination stations. A probability cluster sample (vaccination stations), self-weighted and representative of the population of children younger than 12 months of age (<12), was studied for each year. A structured questionnaire with closed questions about the child's diet at the moment of the study and maternal sociodemographic characteristics was applied. The BF and EBF indicators proposed by the World Health Organization were adopted.


RESULTS
BF<12 increased from 61.3% to 73.4% between 1996 and 2006. Similar trend was observed in all age groups analyzed. EBF in children <4 and <6 months of age (EBF<6) increased from 18.8% to 42.4% and from 13.8% to 33.3%, respectively. Improvements in BF>6 and EBF<6 were found in all categories of all maternal sociodemographic variables. For EBF<6, the disadvantage observed in women with a lower level of education in 1996 and in women who worked in 1998 was not completely overcome by 2006.


CONCLUSIONS
BF and EBF increased in the period studied, independently from child age group and maternal socio-demographic characteristics. The differences found among women in distinct sociodemographic situations were not completely overcome.
Castro
Inês Rugani Ribeiro de
IR
Instituto Annes Dias, Subsecretaria de Promoção, Atenção Básica e Vigilância em Saúde, Secretaria Municipal de Saúde e Defesa Civil do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Pasteur 44, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. inesrrc@uol.com.br
Engstrom
Elyne Montenegro
EM
Cardoso
Letícia Oliveira
LO
Damião
Jorginete de Jesus
Jde J
Rito
Rosane Valéria Fonseca Viana
RV
Gomes
Maria Auxiliadora de Souza Mendes
MA
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult