title: Breast-feeding patterns of ethnic groups in rural western China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the breast-feeding pattern of four main ethnic groups (the Han, Uygur, Tibetan and Zhuang) living in rural western China.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study utilized a cross-sectional design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five counties in ten provinces in western China in 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 11 783 children younger than 36 months old (8960 Han, 1281 Uygur, 792 Tibetan and 750 Zhuang) and their mothers were recruited using a stratified, multistage, cluster random sampling method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rates of exclusive breast-feeding of children at 6 months of age in the Han, Uygur, Tibetan and Zhuang ethnic groups were 11.6 %, 0.8%, 4.4% and 13.8%, respectively. The rates of any breast-feeding for children at 24 months of age were 8.5%, 25.7%, 3.0% and 4.3% in the four ethnic groups, respectively. After adjusting for related factors, Zhuang children had a higher odds ratio of exclusive breast-feeding to 6 months compared with Han children, whereas Uygur and Tibetan children had lower odds ratio (Zhuang: OR=1.291; 95% CI 1.006, 1.657; Uugur: OR=0.062; 95% CI 0.032, 0.121; Tibetan: OR=0.323; 95% CI 0.220, 0.475). Uygur children had a lower hazard ratio of discontinued breast-feeding compared with Han children, whereas Tibetan children had a higher hazard ratio (Uygur: HR=0.368; 95% CI 0.333, 0.408; Tibetan: HR=1.366; 95% CI 1.244, 1.500).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The breast-feeding pattern differed among the Han, Uygur, Tibetan and Zhuang ethnic groups. The results suggest that health education regarding the benefits of breast-feeding is needed in rural western China.
authors.affiliation: 1Xi'an JiaoTong University,Health Science Center,Xi'an,Shaanxi Province 710061,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Pengfei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: 1Xi'an JiaoTong University,Health Science Center,Xi'an,Shaanxi Province 710061,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: 1Xi'an JiaoTong University,Health Science Center,Xi'an,Shaanxi Province 710061,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 1Xi'an JiaoTong University,Health Science Center,Xi'an,Shaanxi Province 710061,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shaonong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.affiliation: 1Xi'an JiaoTong University,Health Science Center,Xi'an,Shaanxi Province 710061,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lengxia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: 1Xi'an JiaoTong University,Health Science Center,Xi'an,Shaanxi Province 710061,People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000208:ethnology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012423:Rural Health / Q000208:ethnology; D018609:Tibet; D014944:World Health Organization
keywords: Breast-feeding pattern; Ethnic groups; Western China