title: Optimal breastfeeding practices and infant and child mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To synthesise the evidence for effects of optimal breastfeeding on all-cause and infection-related mortality in infants and children aged 0-23 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a systematic review to compare the effect of predominant, partial or nonbreastfeeding versus exclusive breastfeeding on mortality rates in the first six months of life and effect of no versus any breastfeeding on mortality rates between 6 and 23 months of age. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL and CABI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The risk of all-cause mortality was higher in predominantly (RR 1.5), partially (RR 4.8) and nonbreastfed (RR14.4) infants compared to exclusively breastfed infants 0-5 months of age. Children 6-11 and 12-23 months of age who were not breastfed had 1.8- and 2.0-fold higher risk of mortality, respectively, when compared to those who were breastfed. Risk of infection-related mortality in 0-5 months was higher in predominantly (RR 1.7), partially (RR 4.56) and nonbreastfed (RR 8.66) infants compared to exclusive breastfed infants. The risk was twofold higher in nonbreastfed children when compared to breastfed children aged 6-23 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings underscore the importance of optimal breastfeeding practices during infancy and early childhood.
authors.affiliation: Newborn Health Knowledge Centre, ICMR Center for Advanced Research in Newborn Health, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Mari Jeeva
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sankar
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Bireshwar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Ranadip
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Nita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhandari
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Research and Development, Society for Applied Studies, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sunita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taneja
authors.affiliation: Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health, Centre for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martines
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bahl
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007843:Latin America / Q000453:epidemiology; D019083:Mediterranean Region / Q000453:epidemiology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000401:mortality
keywords: breastfeeding; child; infant; meta-analysis; mortality; newborn