Prepregnancy body mass index, socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity and breastfeeding practices.
Open Access
- 2 November 2011
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH in jpme
- Vol. 40 (1), 77-83
- https://doi.org/10.1515/JPM.2011.106
Abstract
While socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity are known predictors of breastfeeding practices, the added disparity caused by the rising rates of obesity among women of childbearing age remains untested. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in breastfeeding initiation and duration among black, white and Hispanic women of low and middle SES within the context of prepregnancy body mass index (BMI). Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort were analyzed. Adjusted logistic regression models were built to examine differences in breastfeeding initiation and duration for the three racial/ethnic groups of low and middle SES. Normal BMI Hispanic women of low SES demonstrated higher rates of breastfeeding initiation (74%) compared to other groups. Overweight/obese black women of low SES had lower rates of breastfeeding initiation. Overweight/obese Hispanic women of middle SES were significantly less likely to continue breastfeeding up to 4 months (OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.98) compared to their white counterparts. Among women who initiated breastfeeding, overweight/obese white women of low SES had the highest rate of stopping within two months of giving birth (66.7%). Examination of SES and racial/ethnic differences within the context of prepregnancy weight revealed specific groups with low rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration. Interventions tailored for these at-risk groups are needed to increase the overall proportion of mothers and infants who benefit from the positive health outcomes associated with breastfeeding.Keywords
This publication has 31 references indexed in Scilit:
- Racial/Ethnic Differences in Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration Among Low‐Income Inner‐City Mothers*Social Science Quarterly, 2009
- A Summary of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Evidence Report on Breastfeeding in Developed CountriesBreastfeeding Medicine, 2009
- Couples’ Immigration Status and Ethnicity as Determinants of BreastfeedingAmerican Journal of Public Health, 2006
- Socioeconomic Status and Breastfeeding Initiation among California MothersPublic Health Reports, 2006
- Maternal Obesity is Negatively Associated with Breastfeeding Success among Hispanic but Not Black WomenJournal of Nutrition, 2004
- Infant mortality, low birth weight, and prematurity among Hispanic, white, and African American women in North CarolinaAmerican Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2003
- Maternal obesity and pregnancy outcome: a study of 287 213 pregnancies in LondonInternational Journal of Obesity, 2001
- The Decision to Breastfeed in the United States: Does Race Matter?PEDIATRICS, 2001
- Understanding the Hispanic paradox.2001
- Does maternal obesity adversely affect breastfeeding initiation and duration?Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2000