Mondal Utpal K, Newman Jamie, MacDougall Colin, Gibbs Peter, Pak Sok Cheon, Naden Phil, Kalinna Bernd, Shiddiky Muhammad J A, Rahman Md Ferdous, Ross Allen G
Rural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia.
Orange Aboriginal Medical Service, Orange, NSW, Australia.
Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2025 Jul 3;60:101616. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101616. eCollection 2025 Jul.
Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for six months provides significant health benefits for both mothers and infants, protecting babies from infection, supporting cognitive development, and reducing the risk of obesity and chronic diseases. Additionally, EBF lowers mother's risk of postpartum complications, type 2 diabetes, breast and ovarian cancers. Globally, the prevalence of EBF among infants under six months has reached 48%, nearing the World Health Assembly's 2025 target of 50%. However, the six-month EBF rate for Indigenous mothers in Australia remains low (18.8%), falling significantly below the national target of 50% set for 2025. There are notable disparities across Australian states and territories, with only the Northern Territory (NT) meeting this target. The NT's success is attributed to substantial state-level investment in healthcare for Indigenous Australians, with the highest per capita spending ($11,082 AUD/person/annum) and the highest proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners (256 per 100,000 population). Additionally, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) have played a vital role in delivering culturally safe, community-led breastfeeding programs, contributing to higher EBF rates. These findings suggest that the NT's approach could serve as a 'blueprint' for improving breastfeeding outcomes nationwide. With continued federal support and a comprehensive national policy, achieving the national EBF target for First Nations Peoples by 2030 may be attainable.
六个月纯母乳喂养（EBF）对母亲和婴儿都有显著的健康益处，能保护婴儿免受感染，促进认知发展，并降低肥胖和慢性病风险。此外，纯母乳喂养还能降低母亲产后并发症、2型糖尿病、乳腺癌和卵巢癌的风险。在全球范围内，六个月以下婴儿的纯母乳喂养率已达到48%，接近世界卫生大会2025年设定的50%的目标。然而，澳大利亚原住民母亲的六个月纯母乳喂养率仍然很低（18.8%），大幅低于2025年设定的50%的国家目标。澳大利亚各州和地区存在显著差异，只有北领地（NT）达到了这一目标。北领地的成功归因于该州对澳大利亚原住民医疗保健的大量投资，人均支出最高（11,082澳元/人/年），原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民卫生从业人员的比例也最高（每10万人口中有256人）。此外，原住民社区控制的卫生组织（ACCHOs）在提供具有文化安全性、由社区主导的母乳喂养项目方面发挥了至关重要的作用，有助于提高纯母乳喂养率。这些发现表明，北领地的方法可以作为在全国范围内改善母乳喂养成果的“蓝图”。在联邦政府的持续支持和全面的国家政策下，到2030年实现原住民的全国纯母乳喂养目标或许是可以实现的。
