title: Trends in breastfeeding indicators in a city of northeastern Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate trends in breastfeeding indicators in the city of Feira de Santana, Brazil, and to identify population characteristics that might have influenced this trend.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three methodologically comparable cross-sectional surveys performed in 1996, 2001, and 2009 were analyzed. These involved 2,159, 2,319, and 1,471 children younger than 1 year of age who were vaccinated in national multivaccination campaigns in the respective years. A standardized questionnaire was used, containing closed questions on consumption of breast milk and other foods on the day before the survey, along with questions regarding the characteristics of the population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The annual growth of the breastfeeding indicators was 2.1% for breastfeeding in the first hour of life (from 52.2% to 68.9%); 1.1% for breastfeeding among children aged 9 to 12 months (from 45% to 59.6%); and 0.8% for exclusive breastfeeding among infants younger than 6 months (from 36.9% to 47.4%). The median duration of exclusive breastfeeding increased from 52.3 to 84.3 days, and overall breastfeeding from 278 to 376 days. Some changes in the characteristics of the population were observed, which may have positively influenced the evolution of the breastfeeding indicators (better schooling level among the mothers, less use of dummies/pacifiers, and lower proportions of adolescent mothers), or negatively (greater proportions of primiparous mothers and cesarean deliveries, and lower frequency of births in Baby-Friendly Hospitals).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were significant advances in breastfeeding indicators, although they are still far from ideal. Changes observed in population characteristics may have positively or negatively influenced this evolution.
authors: Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (UEFS), Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil. Electronic address: gracieteovieira@gmail.com.
authors: Graciete O
authors: GO
authors: Vieira
authors: Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (UEFS), Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil.
authors: Mariana R
authors: MR
authors: Reis
authors: Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (UEFS), Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil.
authors: Tatiana O
authors: TO
authors: Vieira
authors: Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (UEFS), Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil.
authors: Nelson F
authors: NF
authors: Oliveira
authors: Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors: Luciana R
authors: LR
authors: Silva
authors: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors: Elsa R J
authors: ER
authors: Giugliani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000639:trends; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D009749:Nutrition Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D041361:Pacifiers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Aleitamento materno; Breastfeeding; Child nutrition; Cross-sectional study; Estudos transversais; Health status indicators; Indicadores básicos de saúde; Inquéritos nutricionais; Nutrition surveys; Nutrição da criança