Feeding Patterns and Infant Morbidity: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study of Breastfeeding, Bottle-Feeding, and Mixed Feeding in Infants Under 6 Months
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Objective: Breastfeeding can lower the risk of morbidity and mortality in infants. However, more work is needed to compare different types of feeding with morbidity among infants, especially in developing countries.
Methods and Materials: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2020 to March 2021. A total of 300 mothers with infants under 6 months old were recruited and completed a questionnaire designed to assess objective achievement.
Findings: lower respiratory tract infection (23%), upper respiratory tract infection (18%), wheezing (14%), and diarrhea (12%) were the major morbidities among infants.
Exclusive breastfeeding was significantly associated with lower odds of diarrhea (OR=0.53), wheezing (OR=0.52), allergy (OR=0.47), and respiratory infections (upper OR=0.57, lower OR=0.55). Bottle-feeding and mixed feeding were associated with increased odds of these morbidities, with bottle-feeding raising the risk of respiratory infections (OR=1.93–2.29), wheezing (OR=1.92), and diarrhea (OR=2.11), and mixed feeding similarly increasing the risk (OR=1.96–2.49). Compared to breastfeeding, bottle-fed and mixed-fed infants were approximately 2 to 2.4 times more likely to have respiratory infections and wheezing, with diarrhea and allergy risks also elevated.
Conclusion: Bottle-fed and mixed-fed babies are more susceptible to illnesses than breastfed babies. Exclusive breastfeeding throughout early infancy is protective, and public health measures should promote and support it to decrease preventable diseases.
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