SWIFS – Swiss Infant Feeding Study 2024: National monitoring on infant feeding in the first year of life

Abstract Nutrition is a crucial factor during the first years of life for healthy development and long‐term health. In Switzerland, breastfeeding practices and eating habits of infants are evaluated every ten years to establish a foundation for promoting healthy nutrition in children. The Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) commissioned in 2024 the four infant nutrition monitoring survey conducted in Switzerland since 1993, namely the Swiss Infant Feeding Study 2024 (SWIFS 2024). For reasons of comparability, SWIFS 2024 investigated the same breastfeeding and complementary feeding indicators and associated topics, and used similar analytical methods as in previous studies, while introducing new topics, such as digital information seeking, and methods where relevant. A random sample of 4040 mothers (children aged 3‐12 months), covering the three main linguistic regions (French, German, and Italian) of Switzerland, were invited to an online survey based on the previous surveys and was adapted to address current questions regarding infant feeding and included a 24h‐feeding recall. The data was analyzed descriptively; survival analysis was applied to estimate breastfeeding indicators as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO): Full breastfeeding (FB): Period in which the infant receives breast milk and possibly tea (no complementary food, no infant milk) Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF): Period in which the infant only receives breast milk Partial breastfeeding: Period in which the infant receives breastmilk and infant formula or complementary foods Influencing factors were investigated with multivariate regression analyses. The response rate was 34%. On average, participants were 33,8 years old. 23.2% of mothers had a background of foreign residency, and 69.2% reported a higher education level. The SWIFS study data show a high degree of consistency between breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices and the current Swiss recommendations. Initial breastfeeding prevalence was high: 97% of mothers had breastfed their infant right after birth. Over 50% of infants were exclusively breastfed for at least 17.4 weeks. The median duration of total breastfeeding could not be calculated given the relatively small number of weaned infants. However, 53% of the infants aged <10 months were still being breastfed. While the breastfeeding initiation rate did not differ much from 2014, the 24‐hour feeding data show that today, infants are more likely to be exclusively breastfed during the first four months of life than in 2014 or 2003, while predominant breastfeeding has become rare. Complementary foods, water, tea, or infant formula were introduced between the 5th and 7th month of life, as recommended by the Swiss Society of Pediatrics. SWIFS 2024 shows a high compliance with recommendations on infant feeding and most preventive measures. The high duration of exclusive breastfeeding is worth highlighting, as well as the overall longer breastfeeding duration. The reduction of early introduction of sweetened foods is also noteworthy. On the other hand, SWIFS identified a few areas of concern and need for intensified counselling. Still, not all smoking women receive counselling on smoking during pregnancy, and chronic diseases especially mental health conditions, are not always addressed. The high pregnancy weight gain in overweight and obese mothers is a risk factor for mother and child's health. Lastly, although there is an improvement compared to 2014, the information on breastfeeding mothers’ rights and culture of breastfeeding in work environments merits further attention. Overall, SWIFS 2024 provides important data on infant nutrition and health of mother and child in Switzerland.