TY - JOUR
T1 - Breast-feeding, weaning patterns, and the risk of xerophthalmia in Southern Malawi
AU - West, K. P.
AU - Chirambo, M.
AU - Katz, J.
AU - Sommer, A.
PY - 1986
Y1 - 1986
N2 - A case-control study of breast-feeding and weaning patterns associated with xerophthalmia was conducted among children aged 24-71 mo in Southern Malawi in 1983. One hundred fifty-two children with active xerophthalmia were compared to 151 clinically normal children matched on age (± 12 mo), sex, and village of residence. All children were initially breast-fed; however, children with xerophthalmia began weaning onto porridge (p = 0.05) and ceased breast-feeding earlier (p < 0.01 for 24-47 mo olds), had a shorter weaning interval (p < 0.005), and were fully weaned from the breast for a longer duration (p < 0.025) than the controls. The association between earlier cessation of breast-feeding and subsequent xerophthalmia was strongest during the immediate post-weaning years. These findings imply a protective role for breast-feeding against xerophthalmia in early childhood.
AB - A case-control study of breast-feeding and weaning patterns associated with xerophthalmia was conducted among children aged 24-71 mo in Southern Malawi in 1983. One hundred fifty-two children with active xerophthalmia were compared to 151 clinically normal children matched on age (± 12 mo), sex, and village of residence. All children were initially breast-fed; however, children with xerophthalmia began weaning onto porridge (p = 0.05) and ceased breast-feeding earlier (p < 0.01 for 24-47 mo olds), had a shorter weaning interval (p < 0.005), and were fully weaned from the breast for a longer duration (p < 0.025) than the controls. The association between earlier cessation of breast-feeding and subsequent xerophthalmia was strongest during the immediate post-weaning years. These findings imply a protective role for breast-feeding against xerophthalmia in early childhood.
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U2 - 10.1093/ajcn/44.5.690
DO - 10.1093/ajcn/44.5.690
M3 - Article
C2 - 3490172
AN - SCOPUS:0022969170
SN - 0002-9165
VL - 44
SP - 690
EP - 697
JO - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
JF - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
IS - 5
ER -