title: Breastfeeding to 24 months of age in the northeast of Italy: a cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed the prevalence and duration of breastfeeding up to 24 months and the associated socioeconomic determinants in a birth cohort of children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred infants born in a hospital in the north east of Italy were enrolled at birth and followed up for 36 months. Data on infant feeding were gathered through a feeding diary compiled at fixed intervals. Data were also gathered on type of delivery and weight, length, and health status at birth, as well as on selected socioeconomic indicators of the mothers. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine any association that exclusivity and duration of breastfeeding may have with selected socioeconomic variables and with health conditions of the infants at birth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-eight percent of mothers initiated breastfeeding, 69% of them exclusively. This rate, however, had declined to 6% by 6 months. There was a remarkable endurance of breastfeeding at 24 months (12%). The variables significantly associated with exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months and any form of breastfeeding at 12 months are mother's age (p=0.007 at 3 months, p=0.026 at 12 months) and postdischarge hospital admission (p=0.029 at 3 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this population, breastfeeding rates are higher than previously reported, but lower than recommended, especially as far as exclusivity is concerned. Full implementation of the World Health Organization-UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiatives in hospitals and communities is needed to improve them further. Monitoring systems should include the collection of data on breastfeeding beyond 12 months of age.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Health Services Research and International Health, Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, via dell'Istria 65/1, Trieste, Italy .
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carletti
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pani
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knowles
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monasta
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montico
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cattaneo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001724:Birth Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors