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Low Breastfeeding Rates and Public Health in the United States

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  • Wolf, J.H.

Abstract

The medical community has orchestrated breastfeeding campaigns in response to low breastfeeding rates twice in US history. The first campaigns occurred in the early 20th century after reformers linked diarrhea, which caused the majority of infant deaths, to the use of cows' milk as an infant food. Today, given studies showing that numerous diseases and conditions can be prevented of limited in severity by prolonged breastfeeding, a practice shunned by most American mothers, the medical community is again inaugurating efforts to endorse breastfeeding as a preventive health measure. This article describes infant feeding practices and resulting public health campaigns in the early 20th and 21st centuries and finds lessons in the original campaigns for the promoters of breastfeeding today.

Suggested Citation

  • Wolf, J.H., 2003. "Low Breastfeeding Rates and Public Health in the United States," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(12), pages 2000-2010.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:2003:93:12:2000-2010_2
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Anderson, D. Mark & Rees, Daniel I. & Wang, Tianyi, 2020. "The phenomenon of summer diarrhea and its waning, 1910-1930⁎," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    2. Anderson, D. Mark & Charles, Kerwin Kofi & Rees, Daniel I., 2018. "Public Health Efforts and the Decline in Urban Mortality," IZA Discussion Papers 11773, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Kelleher, Christa M., 2006. "The physical challenges of early breastfeeding," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(10), pages 2727-2738, November.
    4. Josephine Etowa & Egbe Etowa & Hilary Nare & Ikenna Mbagwu & Jean Hannan, 2020. "Social Determinants of Breastfeeding Preferences among Black Mothers Living with HIV in Two North American Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-13, September.
    5. D. Mark Anderson & Kerwin Kofi Charles & Daniel I. Rees, 2018. "Public Health Efforts and the Decline in Urban Mortality," NBER Working Papers 25027, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. D. Mark Anderson & Daniel I. Rees & Tianyi Wang, 2019. "The Phenomenon of Summer Diarrhea and its Waning, 1910-1930," NBER Working Papers 25689, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Kelaher, Margaret & Dunt, David & Feldman, Peter & Nolan, Andrea & Raban, Bridie, 2009. "The effect of an area-based intervention on breastfeeding rates in Victoria, Australia," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 89-93, April.
    8. Jackie Yenerall & Andrew Muhammad & Karen DeLong & Trey Malone, 2024. "Navigating the challenges of building a more resilient infant formula industry," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 46(2), pages 499-513, June.
    9. Tiffany Green, 2011. "Infant feeding and asthma: is breast milk best?," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 9(4), pages 487-504, December.
    10. Wang, Huiqiang, 2016. "Estimating the health impacts of food safety interventions: Optimal counterfactual selections via information criteria in small samples," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 44-52.
    11. Marianne Lønnebotn & Natalia El-Merhie & John W. Holloway & William Horsnell & Susanne Krauss-Etschmann & Francisco Gómez Real & Cecilie Svanes, 2018. "Environmental Impact on Health across Generations: Policy Meets Biology. A Review of Animal and Human Models," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-16, December.
    12. Anderson, D. Mark & Brown, Ryan & Charles, Kerwin Kofi & Rees, Daniel I., 2016. "The Effect of Occupational Licensing on Consumer Welfare: Early Midwifery Laws and Maternal Mortality," IZA Discussion Papers 10074, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Pudrovska, Tetyana & Carr, Deborah & McFarland, Michael & Collins, Caitlyn, 2013. "Higher-status occupations and breast cancer: A life-course stress approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 53-61.
    14. Anderson, D. Mark & Charles, Kerwin Kofi & Rees, Daniel I., 2019. "Public Health Efforts and the Decline in Urban Mortality: Reply to Cutler and Miller," IZA Discussion Papers 12077, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. D. Mark Anderson & Kerwin Kofi Charles & Michael McKelligott & Daniel I. Rees, 2022. "Safeguarding Consumers Through Minimum Quality Standards: Milk Inspections and Urban Mortality, 1880-1910," NBER Working Papers 30063, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Anderson, D. Mark & Charles, Kerwin Kofi & McKelligott, Michael & Rees, Daniel I., 2022. "Safeguarding Consumers through Minimum Quality Standards: Milk Inspections and Urban Mortality, 1880-1910," IZA Discussion Papers 15295, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    17. Anderson, D. Mark & Rees, Daniel I. & Wang, Tianyi, 2019. "The Phenomenon of Summer Diarrhea and Its Waning, 1910-1930," IZA Discussion Papers 12232, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    18. Veile, Amanda & Martin, Melanie & McAllister, Lisa & Gurven, Michael, 2014. "Modernization is associated with intensive breastfeeding patterns in the Bolivian Amazon," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 148-158.

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