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pubmed:otherAbstract |
PIP: A sample survey of children under 2 years of age was carried out in Port Moresby in March 1979 by a group of final year medical students. Its purpoose was to assess the impact of the recently introduced (July 1977) legislation restricting the sale of feeding bottles. The same areas were selected as those in a 1976 survey, and the sampling techniques and questionnaires were similar. Of the 149 children under 2 years sampled, 127 were breastfed, 17 were artifically fed, and 5 were excluded as they were receiving no milk at all. Thus, 88% of the children were breastfed compared with 65% of children in the 1976 survey. This difference is highly significant (p0.01). 32% of the children had weights for age below the 80% line compared with 41% of children in the 1976 survey. This difference was not statistically significant. Only 1 mother of the 17 who were artificially feeding their babies had obtained a feeding bottle illegally. The most common reason given for artificial feeding was that the mother was working. There has been a highly significant increase in the prevalence of breastfeeding in Port Moresby between 1976 and 1979. It is considered that the legislation introduced in July 1977 restricting the sale of feeding bottles has been of major importance in promoting the increase in breastfeeding.
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