Kamal Sidra, Clementina Ruchira, Aftab Mubashir Ali, Haider Aqsa, Ibrahim Muhammad, Abid Nimra, Ali Ayaz, Ali Ashraf, Gul Nida, Ahmad Afaq
Internal Medicine, Karachi Medical and Dental College, Karachi, PAK.
Medicine, Government Medical College, Nizamabad, IND.
Cureus. 2024 Jul 9;16(7):e64194. doi: 10.7759/cureus.64194. eCollection 2024 Jul.
Background Breastfeeding is recognized as a crucial determinant of child health and development, yet its multifaceted effects remain underexplored in many contexts. This cross-sectional study investigates the association between breastfeeding practices and various health and developmental outcomes in infants and young children, focusing on exclusive breastfeeding, partial breastfeeding, and formula feeding. Done at Khyber Teaching Hospital, Pakistan, the research aims to provide comprehensive insights into the nuanced impacts of breastfeeding on child well-being. Objectives This study aims to assess the association between breastfeeding duration and practices with the incidence of infectious diseases in infants and young children. It investigates the relationship between different breastfeeding practices: exclusive breastfeeding, partial breastfeeding, and formula feeding and cognitive development outcomes in early childhood. Additionally, the study evaluates the role of breastfeeding in the development of motor skills in infants and young children. Methodology A cohort of 390 participants, aged one month to three years, participated in the study. Data collection encompassed parental interviews, clinical assessments using standardized tools such as the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, and reviews of medical records. Statistical analyses, including frequency analysis and chi-square tests, were conducted to elucidate the relationships between breastfeeding practices and health outcomes. Results Exclusive breastfeeding exhibited a significantly lower incidence of infectious diseases compared to partial breastfeeding and formula feeding. Specifically, among exclusively breastfed children, incidences of colds, pneumonia, and diarrhea were 32%, 39.7%, and 40%, respectively. These rates were notably higher in partially breastfed and formula-fed children. Cognitive development outcomes also varied significantly across feeding groups. Exclusively breastfed children demonstrated superior cognitive performance, with 34.2% rated above average, compared to only 6.5% in the formula-fed group. Additionally, the prevalence of developmental delays was lowest among exclusively breastfed children (14.1%), contrasting with 62.8% in the partial breastfeeding group and 77.0% in the formula-feeding group. Conclusions The study underscores the pivotal role of exclusive breastfeeding in promoting optimal child health and development. Exclusive breastfeeding is associated with significantly reduced incidences of infectious diseases, superior cognitive development outcomes, and a lower prevalence of developmental delays. These findings highlight the importance of supportive interventions and policies aimed at encouraging exclusive breastfeeding practices, ultimately enhancing child well-being and developmental trajectories.
背景 母乳喂养被认为是儿童健康与发育的关键决定因素，然而在许多情况下，其多方面的影响仍未得到充分探索。这项横断面研究调查了母乳喂养方式与婴幼儿各种健康和发育结果之间的关联，重点关注纯母乳喂养、部分母乳喂养和配方奶喂养。该研究在巴基斯坦开伯尔教学医院开展，旨在全面深入了解母乳喂养对儿童福祉的细微影响。
目的 本研究旨在评估母乳喂养时长和方式与婴幼儿传染病发病率之间的关联。它调查了不同母乳喂养方式（纯母乳喂养、部分母乳喂养和配方奶喂养）与儿童早期认知发育结果之间的关系。此外，该研究还评估了母乳喂养在婴幼儿运动技能发展中的作用。
方法 390名年龄在1个月至3岁的参与者参与了这项研究。数据收集包括家长访谈、使用标准化工具（如贝利婴儿发育量表）进行的临床评估以及病历审查。进行了包括频率分析和卡方检验在内的统计分析，以阐明母乳喂养方式与健康结果之间的关系。
结果 与部分母乳喂养和配方奶喂养相比，纯母乳喂养的传染病发病率显著更低。具体而言，在纯母乳喂养的儿童中，感冒、肺炎和腹泻的发病率分别为32%、39.7%和40%。部分母乳喂养和配方奶喂养的儿童中这些发病率明显更高。各喂养组的认知发育结果也存在显著差异。纯母乳喂养的儿童表现出更优的认知能力，34.2%的儿童评分高于平均水平，而配方奶喂养组中这一比例仅为6.5%。此外，纯母乳喂养儿童的发育迟缓患病率最低（14.1%），而部分母乳喂养组为62.8%，配方奶喂养组为77.0%。
结论 该研究强调了纯母乳喂养在促进儿童最佳健康与发育方面的关键作用。纯母乳喂养与传染病发病率显著降低、更优的认知发育结果以及更低的发育迟缓患病率相关。这些发现凸显了旨在鼓励纯母乳喂养的支持性干预措施和政策的重要性，最终可提升儿童福祉和发育轨迹。
