Trend and Burden of Suboptimal Breastfeeding in Children Under Five Years of Age in 1990-2021: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Jiang, B; Lin, K; Buys, N; Zhang, B; Qi, Y; Sun, J

Trend and Burden of Suboptimal Breastfeeding in Children Under Five Years of Age in 1990-2021: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Jiang, B Lin, K Buys, N Zhang, B Qi, Y Sun, J

Permalink

Publisher:: MDPI
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Nutrients, 2025, 17, (7), pp. 1134
Issue Date:: 2025-03-25

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Published versionAdobe PDF (1.05 MB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Jiang, B
dc.contributor.author	Lin, K
dc.contributor.author	Buys, N
dc.contributor.author	Zhang, B
dc.contributor.author	Qi, Y
dc.contributor.author	Sun, J https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0097-2438
dc.date.accessioned	2026-01-28T07:59:40Z
dc.date.available	2025-03-18
dc.date.available	2026-01-28T07:59:40Z
dc.date.issued	2025-03-25
dc.identifier.citation	Nutrients, 2025, 17, (7), pp. 1134
dc.identifier.issn	2072-6643
dc.identifier.issn	2072-6643
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/192499
dc.description.abstract	Background/Objectives: Breastfeeding is a cost-effective early child health intervention that has been identified as a protective factor against adverse child health outcomes. However, as estimated by previous epidemiological studies, the prevalence of breastfeeding in most countries around the world is below the recommended levels established by the World Health Organization. This study aims to assess the changes in suboptimal breastfeeding mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and years lost to disabilities (YLDs) on a global, regional, and national level from 1990 to 2021. Methods: Data regarding suboptimal breastfeeding in children under 5 years of age from 1990 to 2021 were extracted from the Global Health Data Exchange query tool. Data from 204 countries and territories countries were classified into 5 regions based on the sociodemographic index (SDI) and 21 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) regions according to geographical contiguity. The average annual percentage change (AAPC) was calculated to assess changes in the trends of suboptimal breastfeeding DALYs, YLDs, and mortality in the past 30 years. Results: Countries with high-middle (AAPC = -0.94, 95% CI = -0.95 to -0.93) SDI scores had the greatest degree of improvement in both suboptimal breastfeeding mortality from 28,043.47 to 1128.24 and disease burden from 43,202.94 to 4428.47, while countries with high (AAPC = -0.83, 95% CI = -0.86 to -0.81) and low SDI (AAPC = -0.63, 95% CI = -0.71 to -0.55) scores showed the least improvement from 16,775.75 to 5930.56 and 49,522.23 to 32,881.08, respectively. Conclusions: Significant global improvements in suboptimal breastfeeding mortality and morbidity have occurred in the last 30 years. However, the extent of improvement differs significantly across nations, while some countries also showed no improvements or increased suboptimal breastfeeding mortality and disease burden. Nation-specific policies that account for cultural practices and economic conditions are required to target vulnerable mothers that are unable to achieve optimal breastfeeding.
dc.format	Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	MDPI
dc.relation.ispartof	Nutrients
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3390/nu17071134
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	0908 Food Sciences, 1111 Nutrition and Dietetics
dc.subject.classification	3202 Clinical sciences
dc.subject.classification	3210 Nutrition and dietetics
dc.subject.classification	4206 Public health
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Breast Feeding
dc.subject.mesh	Infant
dc.subject.mesh	Global Burden of Disease
dc.subject.mesh	Child, Preschool
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Global Health
dc.subject.mesh	Disability-Adjusted Life Years
dc.subject.mesh	Infant, Newborn
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Breast Feeding
dc.subject.mesh	Child, Preschool
dc.subject.mesh	Infant
dc.subject.mesh	Infant, Newborn
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Global Health
dc.subject.mesh	Global Burden of Disease
dc.subject.mesh	Disability-Adjusted Life Years
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Breast Feeding
dc.subject.mesh	Infant
dc.subject.mesh	Global Burden of Disease
dc.subject.mesh	Child, Preschool
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Global Health
dc.subject.mesh	Disability-Adjusted Life Years
dc.subject.mesh	Infant, Newborn
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.title	Trend and Burden of Suboptimal Breastfeeding in Children Under Five Years of Age in 1990-2021: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	17
utslib.location.activity	Switzerland
utslib.for	0908 Food Sciences
utslib.for	1111 Nutrition and Dietetics
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2026-01-28T07:59:38Z
pubs.issue	7
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	17
utslib.citation.issue	7

Abstract:

Background/Objectives: Breastfeeding is a cost-effective early child health intervention that has been identified as a protective factor against adverse child health outcomes. However, as estimated by previous epidemiological studies, the prevalence of breastfeeding in most countries around the world is below the recommended levels established by the World Health Organization. This study aims to assess the changes in suboptimal breastfeeding mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and years lost to disabilities (YLDs) on a global, regional, and national level from 1990 to 2021. Methods: Data regarding suboptimal breastfeeding in children under 5 years of age from 1990 to 2021 were extracted from the Global Health Data Exchange query tool. Data from 204 countries and territories countries were classified into 5 regions based on the sociodemographic index (SDI) and 21 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) regions according to geographical contiguity. The average annual percentage change (AAPC) was calculated to assess changes in the trends of suboptimal breastfeeding DALYs, YLDs, and mortality in the past 30 years. Results: Countries with high-middle (AAPC = -0.94, 95% CI = -0.95 to -0.93) SDI scores had the greatest degree of improvement in both suboptimal breastfeeding mortality from 28,043.47 to 1128.24 and disease burden from 43,202.94 to 4428.47, while countries with high (AAPC = -0.83, 95% CI = -0.86 to -0.81) and low SDI (AAPC = -0.63, 95% CI = -0.71 to -0.55) scores showed the least improvement from 16,775.75 to 5930.56 and 49,522.23 to 32,881.08, respectively. Conclusions: Significant global improvements in suboptimal breastfeeding mortality and morbidity have occurred in the last 30 years. However, the extent of improvement differs significantly across nations, while some countries also showed no improvements or increased suboptimal breastfeeding mortality and disease burden. Nation-specific policies that account for cultural practices and economic conditions are required to target vulnerable mothers that are unable to achieve optimal breastfeeding.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/192499