Amman: The Higher Population Council emphasized on Wednesday that breastfeeding stands as one of the most effective investments for reducing infant mortality, enhancing maternal and newborn health, and fostering socio-economic development.
In a statement released in anticipation of “Breastfeeding Week,” commencing on Thursday, the council underscored the importance of promoting and supporting breastfeeding within health and social policies globally.
The council revealed a 24 percent decline in exclusive breastfeeding among infants under six months in Jordan. Additionally, only 34 percent of newborns are breastfed within the first hour after birth, and 42 percent of children aged 6-23 months receive the minimum dietary diversity. Over the past three decades, exclusive breastfeeding rates for infants aged 0-5 months have dropped from 39 percent to 24 percent.
Several factors contribute to this decline, including a lack of awareness about breastfeeding benefits, misconceptions that mothers who undergo cesarea
n sections cannot breastfeed, widespread preference for formula milk due to weak regulatory control over its commercial promotion, and inadequate support for working mothers.
According to the World Health Organization’s “Feeding of Infants and Young Children – 2023” report, every infant has the right to adequate nutrition. Despite this, malnutrition accounts for 45 percent of child deaths globally, with 41 million children either obese or overweight. Furthermore, only 40 percent of infants aged 0-6 months are exclusively breastfed.
The council noted that few children receive safe, nutritionally appropriate complementary foods. In most countries, less than a quarter of breastfed children aged 6-23 months meet the dietary diversity and feeding frequency criteria suitable for their age.
Breastfeeding also significantly alleviates poverty by reducing family expenses on formula milk, minimizing water usage for preparation and cleaning, lowering pollution rates, and decreasing infant illness, thereby cutting hea
lthcare costs.
The World Bank estimates that global initiatives to promote and protect breastfeeding cost approximately $0.6 billion annually, yet the potential economic returns could reach up to $30 billion annually over the next decade, equating to a $35 return for every dollar invested.
Moreover, breastfeeding is environmentally sustainable, requiring no manufacturing, packaging, or transportation, thus reducing pollution and resource consumption. In contrast, the production of formula milk is energy and resource-intensive, contributing to environmental degradation and climate change.
Breastfeeding offers numerous long-term health benefits for mothers, including a reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancers, improved calcium absorption to prevent osteoporosis, protection against anemia, and aiding post-partum recovery.
For infants, breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition for the first six months, strengthens the immune system, reduces the risk of respiratory and digestive infections, promotes healthy j
aw and teeth development, and lowers the likelihood of chronic diseases. Additionally, breastfed children tend to have better cognitive development and lower rates of obesity and overweight later in life.
The council advised introducing appropriate complementary foods after the first six months of breastfeeding to ensure continued nutritional adequacy.
Source: Jordan News Agency