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Mohammed S, Calvert C, O Mugisha J, Ronald M, Asiki G, R Glynn J, Oakley LL, Marston M. Association between breastfeeding duration and educational attainment in rural Southwest Uganda: a population-based cohort study. Glob Health Action 2024; 17:2338023. [PMID: 38652548 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2024.2338023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breastfeeding is important for early childhood nutrition and health. The positive effects on educational outcomes may be attributed to socioeconomic factors. Socioeconomic status is not a strong predictor of breastfeeding in sub-Saharan African countries. Yet, few studies have investigated the association between breastfeeding and educational outcomes in these countries. OBJECTIVE This study investigated the association between breastfeeding duration and children's educational attainment in rural Southwest Uganda. METHODS We analysed longitudinal data on 3018 children who had information on breastfeeding and were followed for at least 5 years, with at least one primary school grade recorded by 2005. Data on breastfeeding duration were collected from mothers. The highest school grade was recorded repeatedly between ages 6 and 12 years. We calculated age-for-grade based on whether a child was on, over, or under the official age for a grade. Generalised estimating equations and binary logistic regression estimated the effect of breastfeeding duration on being 2 years, 3 or more years, or any years over-age for grade in primary school, adjusting for socioeconomic status and maternal-child characteristics. RESULTS Most mothers breastfed for more than a year. Just over one-third breastfed for 18-23 months, and 30% breastfed for longer. By age eight, 42% of the children were two years over-age for their grade. Three or more years over-age for grade increased from 19% at age nine to 56% at age 12. Both adjusted and unadjusted estimates were consistent in showing reduced odds for children being 2 years, 3 or more years, or any years over-age for grade among children breastfed for 7-12, 13-17, 18-23, and > 23 months compared to those breastfed for 0-6 months. There was no evidence to support an overall association between breastfeeding duration and being over-age for grade. There was no evidence of association in the sex and age sub-group analyses. CONCLUSION Although we found no association between breastfeeding duration and educational attainment, breastfeeding remains important for children's health and nutrition, and mothers should be encouraged and supported to breastfeed for the recommended duration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamsudeen Mohammed
- Department of Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Clara Calvert
- Centre for Global Health, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Population Health, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Makanga Ronald
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Gershim Asiki
- African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), Nairobi, Uganda
| | - Judith R Glynn
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Laura L Oakley
- Department of Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Milly Marston
- Department of Population Health, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Liu L, Wu Y, Xian X, Feng J, Mao Y, Balakrishnan S, Weber AM, Darmstadt GL, Chen Y, Sylvia S, Zhou H, Rozelle S. In-Hospital Formula Feeding Hindered Exclusive Breastfeeding: Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy as a Mediating Factor. Nutrients 2023; 15:5074. [PMID: 38140332 PMCID: PMC10746093 DOI: 10.3390/nu15245074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Breastfeeding self-efficacy (BSE), defined as a mother's confidence in her ability to breastfeed, has been confirmed to predict the uptake of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). Early experiences during the birth hospital stay, especially in-hospital formula feeding (IHFF), can impact both EBF and maternal breastfeeding confidence. Therefore, our objective was to examine the association between IHFF and EBF outcomes and investigate whether this association is influenced by BSE. The study included 778 infants from a larger cohort study conducted in 2021, with a one-year follow-up in rural areas of Sichuan Province, China. We used a causal mediation analysis to estimate the total effect (TE), natural direct (NDE), and nature indirect effects (NIE) using the paramed command in Stata. Causal mediation analyses revealed that IHFF was negatively associated with EBF (TE odds ratio = 0.47; 95% CI, 0.29 to 0.76); 28% of this association was mediated by BSE. In the subgroup analysis, there were no significant differences in the effects between parity subgroups, as well as between infant delivery subgroups. Our study found that IHFF hindered later EBF and that BSE mediated this association. Limiting the occurrence of in-hospital formula feeding or improving maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy is likely to improve exclusive breastfeeding outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Liu
- Department of Health Behavior and Social Medicine, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 16 South Renmin Road 3 Section, Chengdu 610041, China; (L.L.); (Y.W.); (X.X.)
| | - Yuju Wu
- Department of Health Behavior and Social Medicine, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 16 South Renmin Road 3 Section, Chengdu 610041, China; (L.L.); (Y.W.); (X.X.)
| | - Xiannan Xian
- Department of Health Behavior and Social Medicine, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 16 South Renmin Road 3 Section, Chengdu 610041, China; (L.L.); (Y.W.); (X.X.)
| | - Jieyuan Feng
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (J.F.); (S.R.)
| | - Yuping Mao
- Department of Communication Studies, College of Liberal Arts, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA;
| | - Siva Balakrishnan
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89503, USA; (S.B.)
| | - Ann M. Weber
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89503, USA; (S.B.)
| | - Gary L. Darmstadt
- Department Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA;
| | - Yunwei Chen
- Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (Y.C.); (S.S.)
| | - Sean Sylvia
- Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (Y.C.); (S.S.)
| | - Huan Zhou
- Department of Health Behavior and Social Medicine, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 16 South Renmin Road 3 Section, Chengdu 610041, China; (L.L.); (Y.W.); (X.X.)
| | - Scott Rozelle
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; (J.F.); (S.R.)
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