Tendência temporal do aleitamento materno e alimentação complementar em crianças menores de um ano em Barra Mansa, RJ

Abstract

Feeding practices in the first year of life consists in an important method of measuring the formation of infant's feeding habits. In the first semester of life is recommended that a child must be breastfed exclusively and after six months they should receive other types of food along with breast milk, what is also recommended until two years of age or over. During the last years, surveys have been developed to monitor the rates of breastfeeding (BF) and infant feeding practices in the first year of life, observing an increasing trend of breastfeeding. However, a precocious introduction of other types of food in addition to breast milk also remains a daily practice. Objective was to analyze time trends of the practice of breastfeeding and complementary feeding in infants under one year old in Barra Mansa, in the years 2003, 2006 and 2008. Data from population surveys conducted during the National Immunization Campaigns in the years 2003, 2006 and 2008, in Barra Mansa, with 1130, 1157 and 580 infants under one year old, respectively, were analyzed. A probability cluster sample (vaccination stations), self-weighted and representative part of the population of children under one year old, was studied based on each year. A structured questionnaire containing closed questions about children s feeding at the moment of the study and maternal sociodemographic characteristics were applied. To compare changes over time were analyzed prevalence and means, year by year, and made trend assay by logistic regression or linear regression plus the continuous variable for the survey year. To analyze the factors associated with the practice of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in infants <6 months were estimated odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval of 95%. BF <1 year old were no significant increased in the period studied, from 70.2% in 2003 to 72.8% in 2008. The mean and median of BF remained stable. EBF <6 months prevalence significant increased from 32.4% in 2003 to 38.9% in 2008. EBF <6 months median showed a statistically significant increasing trend, from 47 days in 2003 to 71 days in 2008. Significant reduction of predominant breastfeeding and complementary breastfeeding <4 months were observed, this reduces almost in half, from 13.3% in 2003 to 7.8% in 2008 and between <6 months, from 20.4% to 16.4%. Factors associated with EBF were age and maternal education, primiparity and pacifier use. The results of this study reinforce the importance of maintaining the institutional incentives for breastfeeding reach the internationally proposed levels. The survey also provides several factors that, if corrected, can facilitate the practice thus an irreplaceable feeding in the first years of life.