Content Analysis of Austrian Print and Online Newspaper Coverage of Breastfeeding Over Two Decades

In the first 6 months, breastfeeding is the optimal nutrition for newborns, but the breastfeeding prevalence in Austria is still below the official WHO Guidelines (64% breastfeeding and 1.9% exclusive breastfeeding after 6 months). Exclusive breastfeeding rates in the first 6 months are low in the European Region but higher globally at 48%. Breastfeeding behaviour and the decision to breastfeed can be influenced by many factors, such as social norms, the social environment, health, commercial milk formula (CMF) marketing, and media reports. Therefore, it is important to understand how breastfeeding and CMF are presented in Austrian media and the possible impact these portrayals have on mothers and the broader community. The aim of this study was to analyze print and online newspaper coverage in Austrian newspapers related to breastfeeding between 2002 and 2022 with a special focus on the valence of reporting on breastfeeding and CMF in different genres of online and print newspapers. For this analysis, more than 2500 unique articles were identified, coded, and analysed (e.g., main topic, valence towards breastfeeding, and valence towards CMF). The results showed that media coverage of breastfeeding has decreased slightly over the last 20 years, particularly with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Print and online newspaper coverage of breastfeeding was mostly neutral, with a focus on breastfeeding and its association with disease, health benefits of breastfeeding, and event announcements related to breastfeeding. The valence on breastfeeding was more positive than on CMF. Middle-market newspapers appear to report more about breastfeeding than tabloids and broadsheets. To normalise breastfeeding, informative, unbiased, and extensive media coverage is important. Collaboration between breastfeeding advocates and journalists could be beneficial in increasing positive coverage of breastfeeding in the long term.