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Patterns and determinants of infant feeding practices worldwide

  • Chapter
Infant Nutrition

Abstract

The many advantages of breast milk over other foods for early infant feeding and the hazards of artificial milks and bottle feedings especially in the context of developing countries, are now well established and have been described in detail elsewhere (Hanson, 1988; Jelliffe and Jelliffe, 1988). For nutritional, immunological, contraceptive, psychological and economic reasons, breast feeding remains superior. Although the impact of breast feeding on infectious disease rates in Western industrialized countries has been questioned (Bauchner et al. 1986), the weight of evidence remains in favour of a protective role, especially against diarrhoeal and respiratory diseases and some allergic conditions. In Third World countries, beset by poverty and adverse living conditions, breast feeding is vital for infant health. Since access to modern contraceptive methods may also be limited, breast feeding plays a major role in child spacing. This in turn benefits maternal and child health, and indirectly benefits the national economy. Conversely, the purchase of imported infant milk products has a negative economic impact at both the household and national level.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Research Campaign, London, UK

    Jean King

  2. Centre for Human Nutrition, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK

    Ann Ashworth

Authors
  1. Jean King
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  2. Ann Ashworth
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Technology, The University of Reading, Reading, UK

    Ann F. Walker

  2. Reading Laboratory, Institute of Food Research, Reading, UK

    Brian A. Rolls

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© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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King, J., Ashworth, A. (1994). Patterns and determinants of infant feeding practices worldwide. In: Walker, A.F., Rolls, B.A. (eds) Infant Nutrition. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3212-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3212-9_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-412-59140-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-3212-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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