THE COPENHAGEN COHORT STUDY ON INFANT NUTRITION AND GROWTH - DURATIONOF BREAST-FEEDING AND INFLUENCING FACTORS

Duration of breast feeding was studied in 249 randomly chosen, healthy , term infants of Danish origin of which 80.7% participated. Breast fe eding was initiated by 99.5% of the mothers. At 3, 6 and 9 months, 71% , 52% and 33%, respectively, were still breast feeding. Only 1 infant (0.5%) was exclusively breast fed beyond 7 months of age. In a Cox mul tiple regression analysis of factors influencing duration of breast fe eding, we found a positive association with maternal education (p < 0. 001) and age (p = 0.02) and a negative association with the amount of formula given at the maternity ward (p < 0.001). Six months after deli very, 79% of the mothers with higher school education (greater than or equal to 12 years) were still breast feeding, compared to 29% with a low school education (less than or equal to 9 years). There is still a need for an increased effort to support mothers in breast feeding, fo cusing particularly on younger mothers with short school education. Fo rmula supplements during the first days of life, given to 73% of the i nfants, were associated with a shorter duration of breast feeding and should be discouraged.