title: [Duration of breastfeeding and its relevant influencing factors on under 2-years-old in rural areas of 10 provinces in China].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand the current status and relevant factors influencing the duration of breastfeeding in rural areas in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children under two years old were selected as subjects from the study on "Physical growth among the under 7-years-old children from the rural areas of ten provinces in China in 2006". Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the survival curves and Cox multivariate stepwise regression was used to identify the relevant factors on the duration of breastfeeding.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median of the duration for breastfeeding was 12 months in rural areas of 10 provinces in China. Results of this study suggested that factors as sex, birth order, areas of residency, nationality, initiation of formula, parents' education levels, maternal services and family income were correlated with the duration of breastfeeding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Duration of breastfeeding among rural children under 2-years of age was short in the 10 provinces of China. Factors as level of education, residential areas and family income of the parents as well as sex of the children were correlated with the duration of breastfeeding. Intervention program should be implemented to improve the current status on breastfeeding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Child Health Care, School of Public Health, Tongji College of Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
authors.forename: Jian-min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Neng
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Sheng-nan
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Sen-bei
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiao-xuan
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015981:Epidemiologic Factors; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012424:Rural Population