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[Monetary value of breast milk in Bolivia]
V M Aguayo1, J Ross, R Saunero
1Academy for Educational Development, Washington, DC, USA. vaguayo@hkimali.org
Insights
Bolivian infants consume over 161 million liters of breast milk annually, valued at $274 million. Replacing this vital nutrition with commercial substitutes would cost $407 per infant in their first year.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional science
- Public health
- Economics
Context:
- Breastfeeding is crucial for infant health and development.
- Understanding the economic value of breast milk is essential for policy-making.
- Bolivia faces challenges in promoting and supporting breastfeeding practices.
Purpose:
- To quantify the volume of breast milk consumed by Bolivian children under 36 months.
- To determine the economic value of this breast milk consumption.
- To estimate the cost of replacing breast milk with commercial infant formula.
Summary:
- Bolivian infants under 36 months consume over 161 million liters of breast milk annually.
- The estimated annual monetary value of this breast milk is US$ 274 million.
- The cost to replace breast milk with commercial substitutes for the first year of life is approximately US$ 407 per infant.
Impact:
- Highlights the significant economic contribution of breastfeeding in Bolivia.
- Provides data to support policies aimed at protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding.
- Informs policymakers about the substantial financial implications of breast milk substitution.
Objective:
To estimate the volume of breast milk consumed by Bolivian children under 36 months of age, and the monetary value of replacing that volume of breast milk with commercial substitutes.
Methods:
The analysis took into account the distribution of the infant population by age groups, the prevalence of breast-feeding practices (exclusive or partial) in every age group, the average volume of breast milk consumed by the infants of a given age group, and the cost of breast milk production and replacement.
Results:
Bolivian infants annually consume more than 161 million liters of breast milk, which represents an average volume of 573 mL/day per infant under 1 year of age. The monetary value of breast milk consumed by the Bolivian infants amounts to US$ 274 million annually. The average cost of replacing breast milk with commercial substitutes for an infant adequately breast-fed for the first year of life would be US$ 407.
Discussion:
For the formulation and consolidation of policies and programs to protect, promote, and support breast-feeding to become a reality, it is necessary that the political leaders of Bolivia be aware of the enormous monetary value of breast milk.