Attitudes and beliefs related to breastfeeding and their effect on infant feeding in Central America: recent findings

Qualitative information was collected of 64 indigenous women in highland Guatemalan and 73 mestizo women throughout El Salvador via in-depth interviews and direct observations prior to the design of education/communication programs. Data were collected on beliefs, attitudes and values related to infant feeding in the first 24-36 months and on actual breastfeeding and weaning practices during health and illness. Findings on cultural factors were related to the infant feeding decisions of interviewed women and to patterns of breastfeeding initiation, exclusive breastfeeding, introduction of liquids and weaning foods into infants' diets. In both settings, despite important differences in cultural traditions, women hold very similar and strong beliefs, attitudes and values towards the qualities of breastmilk, breastfeeding, the nutritional needs of young children, and their own capacity of produce adequate quantities of milk of acceptable quality. These cultural factors color their interpretation of infant behaviors such as crying and influence their day-to-day decisions about infant feeding. Dominant in the resulting suboptimal feeding patterns is the almost complete absence of exclusive breastfeeding beyond the second month. These findings demostrate the persistence of cultural factors in infant feeding practices in the early months

Conductas de distribucion intra-hogareña de alimentos en comunidades periurbanas de Guatemala: lecciones para los programas de distribución de alimentos / Behavior of intrahousehold food distribution programs in periurban communities of Guatemala: lessons for food distribution programs

Reconocen las madres de niños desnutridos las necesidades especiales de sus hijos? Cómo se compara la alimentación de estos niños índice con la de otros miembros del hogar cuando hay disponibilidad de suplementos alimentarios donados? Qué principios culturales de distribución intrahogareña de alimentos están asociados con la conducta alimentaria? Cómo perciben los miembros del hogar, y cómo usan los suplementos alimentarios que van dirigidos a los niños desnutridos? Se buscaron respuestas a estas interrogantes en un estudio dietético-etnográfico de 45 hogares participantes en un programa de suplementación para niños de bajo peso de uno a cinco años de edad, en dos comunidades periurbanas de bajos ingresos de la Ciudad de Guatemala. La hipótesis central fue que se hallarían cuatro principios culturales de distribución de alimentos: el de contribuciones, el de necesidades, el de equidad y el de demanda. La encuesta dietética combinó las técnicas de recordatorio y peso directo, y se efectuó dos veces para cada uno de los 230 individuos que conformaban estos hogares

Attitudes and beliefs related to breastfeeding and their effect on infant feeding in Central America: recent findings

Qualitative information was collected of 64 indigenous women in highland Guatemalan and 73 mestizo women throughout El Salvador via in-depth interviews and direct observations prior to the design of education/communication programs. Data were collected on beliefs, attitudes and values related to infant feeding in the first 24-36 months and on actual breastfeeding and weaning practices during health and illness. Findings on cultural factors were related to the infant feeding decisions of interviewed women and to patterns of breastfeeding initiation, exclusive breastfeeding, introduction of liquids and weaning foods into infants' diets. In both settings, despite important differences in cultural traditions, women hold very similar and strong beliefs, attitudes and values towards the qualities of breastmilk, breastfeeding, the nutritional needs of young children, and their own capacity of produce adequate quantities of milk of acceptable quality. These cultural factors color their interpretation of infant behaviors such as crying and influence their day-to-day decisions about infant feeding. Dominant in the resulting suboptimal feeding patterns is the almost complete absence of exclusive breastfeeding beyond the second month. These findings demostrate the persistence of cultural factors in infant feeding practices in the early months