Breastfeeding prevalences and indicators from the Swiss Infant Feeding Study 2024

Introduction and aims: 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. Material and methods: A random sample of 4040 mothers (children aged 3-12 months) were invited to an online survey on various infant feeding topics and a 24h-feeding recall. Survival time and regression 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 Statistical analysis and results: Participation rate was 34% (N= 1269). Infants’ mean age was 7.4 months (SD 3.1). Maternal age 33.8 yrs. (SD 4.1). 97% of the mothers have ever breastfed their infant. The median breastfeeding time by age was 48 weeks, i.e. at the age of 48 weeks, the probability of still being breastfed was 50%. 25% of infants no longer received any breastmilk at the age of 40 weeks and at the age of 51 weeks 25% were still breastfed. The median duration of EBF was 17.4 weeks. 25% of mothers stopped with EBF after 4 weeks and after 23.9 weeks 75% had stopped. When population weights for maternal smoking and maternal highest education were applied, EFB differed: 25% stopped EBF with 3 weeks (only for smoking) and 75% with 21.8 weeks, while the median of 17.4 weeks was the same. Thus, EBF duration was slightly overestimated by the sample. EBF was significantly different between 2014 and 2024 (Log rank test: Chi2=51.4, p<0.001). In 2024, the median EBF time was 17.4 weeks, while in 2014, it was 12 weeks. For FB, the curves for 2014 and 2024 run almost parallel. In both years, 50% of infants stopped been fully breastfed by week 17. At week 21 (2014) and 23 (2024), 75% of infants stopped being fully breastfed. According to the 24 hours feeding protocol, partial breastfeeding was much more common in 2024 than 2014. Between the age of 6 and 9 months, partial breastfeeding in 2024 was between 78% and 74%, while in 2014, the percentage of partial breastfeeding was between 48% and 37%. In contrast, almost no mothers where predominantly breastfeeding in 2024. Infant formula in the last 24 hours was given slightly less in 2024, but there was a higher proportion of infants already receiving complementary foods at the age of 5 to 6 months. Conclusions: Compared to earlier monitoring years, breastfeeding patterns have shifted toward longer duration of breastfeeding overall, extended periods of exclusive breastfeeding, and an increase in partial breastfeeding.