Exclusive breastfeeding: measurement and indicators.
1Department of Food and Nutrition, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni Ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791, South Korea.
International Breastfeeding Journal
|October 29, 2014
Summary
Measuring exclusive breastfeeding duration is complex. Current methods, like the 1991 WHO indicator, are often misunderstood and overestimate prevalence. New approaches are needed for accurate infant feeding data.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Accurate measurement of exclusive breastfeeding duration is challenging due to varied definitions, recall bias, and sampling issues.
- Prospective methods offer accuracy but are cost-prohibitive for large surveys.
- The widely used 1991 World Health Organization (WHO) indicator, based on 24-hour recall, is complex, misunderstood, and often exaggerates exclusive breastfeeding rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the complexities and limitations of current methods for measuring exclusive breastfeeding duration.
- To discuss alternative indicators and their suitability for different research and public health objectives.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of existing literature and common survey methodologies for assessing infant feeding practices.
- Comparison of the 1991 point-in-time indicator with the 2000 life-long indicator.
Main Results:
- The 1991 WHO indicator, while providing stable estimates, is prone to misinterpretation and overestimation of exclusive breastfeeding.
- The 2000 life-long indicator accurately identifies the cessation of exclusive breastfeeding but underestimates its total duration due to supplementation interruptions.
Conclusions:
- The choice of indicator for exclusive breastfeeding measurement depends on the specific research purpose.
- For surveys, a combination of point-in-time and life-long indicators offers a more comprehensive understanding of infant feeding patterns.
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