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Seasonality of infant feeding practices in three Brazilian birth cohorts

David A González-Chica1, Helen Gonçalves, Aydin Nazmi

  • 1Post-graduate Program in Nutrition, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil. david.epidemio@gmail.com

International Journal of Epidemiology
|February 23, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Infants born during colder months or experiencing colder temperatures in their first month had shorter breastfeeding durations. These effects were more pronounced in lower socioeconomic groups, highlighting the need to consider environmental factors in infant feeding programs.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Investigated the impact of birth season on infant feeding practices in Pelotas, Brazil.
  • Utilized data from three large population-based birth cohort studies spanning 1982, 1993, and 2004.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess how season of birth and early-life temperature influence breastfeeding duration and infant feeding patterns.
  • To identify disparities in these effects based on maternal education.

Main Methods:

  • Employed survival analyses and chi-squared tests to examine associations between birth month/temperature and feeding outcomes.
  • Calculated temperature-based slope indices of inequality to quantify disparities.
  • Collected longitudinal data on breastfeeding and food introduction up to two years postpartum.

Main Results:

  • Lower breastfeeding duration was observed for infants born in April-June and those experiencing colder first-month temperatures.
  • Maternal education modified the influence of birth season on breastfeeding and cow's milk introduction, with greater impact on less educated mothers.
  • Early introduction of fruits and vegetables was linked to colder first-month temperatures in specific cohorts.

Conclusions:

  • Colder environmental temperatures negatively impact breastfeeding duration and infant feeding patterns, particularly for socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.
  • Findings underscore the importance of incorporating environmental temperature considerations into breastfeeding promotion strategies.
  • The season of birth and early-life temperature are significant factors influencing infant nutrition and health outcomes.
Abstract

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