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© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

The prevalence of stunting in young Indonesian children is the highest among countries belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Breastfed children are reported to grow better than non-breastfed. The present study examined the protective effect of exclusive breastfeeding against stunting in children under two years old (CU2) and its interaction with monthly household expenditure. Secondary analyses were conducted based on a 2012 cross-sectional study including 408 children aged 6–24 months and their caregivers from 14 villages in rural Eastern Indonesia. Data on breastfeeding history, childcare, and household expenditures were collected using structured questionnaires. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted in each village (n = 14). Nearly two-thirds (61%) of caregivers who identified as the biological mother exclusively breastfed their child at 6 months. Exclusively-breastfed CU2 from poorer households were 20% less likely to be stunted than their non-exclusively-breastfed peers. Further, exclusively-breastfed CU2 from wealthier households were 50% less likely to be stunted than non-exclusively-breastfed CU2 from poorer households. FGDs revealed that some mothers were unaware of the importance of recommended breastfeeding practices. Exclusive breastfeeding may protect low-income children against stunting. Health promotion to improve caregiver motivation to exclusively breastfeed is critical in the present setting and beyond.

Details

Title
Exclusive Breastfeeding Protects Young Children from Stunting in a Low-Income Population: A Study from Eastern Indonesia
Author
Hamam Hadi 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Fatimatasari, Fatimatasari 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Irwanti, Winda 3 ; Kusuma, Chahya 4 ; Ratih Devi Alfiana 2 ; M Ischaq Nabil Asshiddiqi 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Nugroho, Sigit 4 ; Lewis, Emma Clare 6 ; Gittelsohn, Joel 6   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Alma Ata Graduate School of Public Health, the University of Alma Ata, Yogyakarta 55183, Indonesia; [email protected] (C.K.); [email protected] (S.N.); Alma Ata Center for Healthy Life and Foods (ACHEAF), the University of Alma Ata, Yogyakarta 55183, Indonesia 
 Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, the University of Alma Ata, Yogyakarta 55183, Indonesia; [email protected] (F.F.); [email protected] (R.D.A.) 
 Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Alma Ata, Yogyakarta 55183, Indonesia; [email protected] 
 Alma Ata Graduate School of Public Health, the University of Alma Ata, Yogyakarta 55183, Indonesia; [email protected] (C.K.); [email protected] (S.N.) 
 Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, the University of Alma Ata, Yogyakarta 55183, Indonesia; [email protected] 
 Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; [email protected] (E.C.L.); [email protected] (J.G.) 
First page
4264
Publication year
2021
Publication date
2021
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20726643
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2612820357
Copyright
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.