Abstract
Rapid economic and cultural transition in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been accompanied by new challenges to public health; most notably a rapid rise in chronic disease. Breastfeeding is known to improve health outcomes in adulthood, is associated with reduced risk of developing chronic disease, and is therefore an important public health issue for this rapidly increasing population. Factors associated with infant feeding practices were examined in a cohort of 125 Emirati women and their infants, with data collected at birth and 3, 6 and 15 months postpartum by questionnaires and interviews. Participants were recruited in the Corniche Hospital, the main maternity hospital in the city of Abu Dhabi. Factors affecting the duration of breastfeeding and the introduction of complementary foods were investigated using univariate and multivariate statistics. Recommended infant feeding practices, such as exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and timely introduction of appropriate complementary foods, were poorly adhered to. Factors implicated in early cessation of breastfeeding included: time to first breastfeed, mother’s education level, employment status and early introduction of complementary foods.
Highlights
Breastmilk provides optimal nutrition for growth and development together with significant immunological protection [1,2] and exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for six months, and alongside complementary feeding, well into the first year of life [3]
As an Islamic country, the United Arab Emirates promotes breastfeeding throughout the health system and in 2014 the country’s Federal National Council passed a draft clause in the child rights law to make breastfeeding mandatory for the first two years of an infant’s life [13]
This paper focuses on the data collected in relation to infant feeding practices, the study encompassed a wide range of cultural, social, behavioural aspects of health in this cohort of women and infants
Summary
Breastmilk provides optimal nutrition for growth and development together with significant immunological protection [1,2] and exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for six months, and alongside complementary feeding, well into the first year of life [3]. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a rapidly modernising country with high levels of chronic disease; obesity, heart disease and diabetes [8]. The UAE breastfeeding policy states that infants should be breast fed exclusively until six months of age [11]. In Islam breastfeeding is viewed as an expectation of parents, and women are urged to breastfeed their infants for two years [12]. As an Islamic country, the United Arab Emirates promotes breastfeeding throughout the health system and in 2014 the country’s Federal National Council passed a draft clause in the child rights law to make breastfeeding mandatory for the first two years of an infant’s life [13]
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