John F. Stewart, Barry M. Popkin, David K. Guilkey, John S. Akin, Linda Adair, Wilhelm Flieger
There has been much controversy about the impact of the health sector and the infant food industry on breast-feeding behavior. This study links causal factors to breast-feeding decisions, using a longitudinal survey of more than 3,000 Filipino mother-infant pairs. Most factors decreasing the likelihood that mothers will breast-feed seem to be related to family economics. Delivery in a private hospital, urban residence, high income, absence of spouse, and having worked for wages affect adversely the initiation of breast-feeding. Formula advertising and distribution of samples appear to have relatively little impact on feeding decisions. © 1991 Population Association of America.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States; Office of Population Studies, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines
