title: Breastfeeding can prevent hospitalization for pneumonia  among children under 1 year old.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relationship between breastfeeding and hospitalization for pneumonia among children under 1 year old.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ecological study using secondary data of hospitalizations for pneumonia (outcome) and breastfeeding prevalence data (exposure) among children under 1 year old living in the Brazilian state capital cities and the Federal District in 2008. A negative binomial model of hospitalization was used to estimate the rate ratio (95% confidence interval), adjusted according to the Gini Index, and the prevalence rates of smokers in the general population and low birth weight individuals in the population investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Breastfeeding prevalence among children between 9 and 12 months old and exclusive breastfeeding prevalence among children under 6 months old were associated with a lower rate ratio of hospitalization for pneumonia (RR = 0.62; 95%CI 0.51-0.74 and RR = 0.52; 95%CI 0.39-0.69, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased prevalence rates of breastfeeding during the first year of life and exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months of life can reduce the number of hospitalizations for pneumonia.
authors: Epidemiologia em Saúde Pública, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Epidemiologia em Saúde Pública, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. cristianoboccolini@yahoo.com.br
authors: Cristiano Siqueira
authors: CS
authors: Boccolini
authors: Márcia Lazaro de
authors: ML
authors: Carvalho
authors: Maria Inês Couto de
authors: MI
authors: Oliveira
authors: Patricia de Moraes Mello
authors: Pde M
authors: Boccolini
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology