Sugar Consumption and Breastfeeding Practices in Children from Mexico and Bolivia

Dental caries remains a public health problem, with sugar consumption from an early age being the main associated factor. Although the WHO recommends delaying its introduction into the diet until after two years of age, this guideline does not appear to be followed. This study aimed to examine sugar consumption, dietary habits and breastfeeding patterns among infants in Mexico and Bolivia. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 555 children aged 12-35 months, comprising 294 from Bolivia and 261 from Mexico, as part of a complementary study by the Dental Caries Research Observatory of the Latin American Region (OICAL). The mothers of the participating children were interviewed and a food frequency questionnaire, previously validated in various Latin American countries and utilized in OICAL, was administered. Additional data on breastfeeding and the introduction of sugary foods and beverages were collected. Statistical analysis included Chi-square test for qualitative variables. The Mann-Whitney test was used to examine the association between total breastfeeding duration and the age of introduction of sugary foods. Poisson regression calculated mean ratios adjusted to 95% confidence. The mean age of introduction of sugary foods and beverages was 9.7 months (95% CI 9.3-9.9) and 9.9 months (95% CI 9.4-10.3), respectively, with a significant difference observed between countries (p<0.001). The average daily frequency of sugary foods and beverages for both groups was 3.1 times per day (95% CI 2.9-3.3), with no significant difference detected. Breastfeeding duration ranged from 16.2 to 17.7 months and was practiced by 78.7% of children over 12 months, with 46.3% of these children receiving breastfeeding on demand and sleeping next to their mothers throughout the night. It was concluded that most infants in both countries initiate consumption of sugary products during the first year of life and a high daily frequency of consumption was also observed.