Summary:
Background: Breastfeeding reduces incidence of common
childhood illnesses such as diarrhea and thus reduces infant
mortality and morbidity.
Objective: To find out the incidence of diarrhea in breastfed
versus formula fed baby.
Methodology: An observational cross sectional study was
carried out in the Pediatric department of Northern private
medical college hospital, Rangpur from March 2013 to June
2014. Total 150 children aged 1 to 24 months having diarrhea
were enrolled in the study.
Result: Mean age of children was 11.6 with SD ±5.29
months, ranges from 1 month to 23 months in which
exclusively breast fed 51.3%, breast fed plus formula fed
39.3%, exclusively formula fed 9.4%; single attack of
diarrhea occurred in 72.7%, 40.7%, and 28.6% children in
exclusively breast fed, breast fed plus formula fed and
exclusively formula fed children respectively. Frequent attack
of diarrhea occurred in 27.3%, 59.3% and 71.4% children
in exclusively breast fed, breast fed plus formula fed and
exclusively formula fed children respectively; among 59
patients who developed first attack of diarrhea by 6 months
of age, 10.2%, 69.5 % and 20.3% were from exclusively
breast fed, breast fed plus formula fed and exclusively formula
fed children respectively. Patients who developed first attack
of diarrhea by 7-12 months of age, 69.8% were from
exclusively breast fed, 27.0% from breast fed plus formula
fed and 3.2% from exclusively formula fed children. But 28
children whose first diarrhea occurred by 13-24 months of
age, 96.4% and 3.6% were from exclusively breast fed, and
breast fed plus formula fed group respectively.
Conclusion: Breast feeding reduces incidence of diarrhea,
prevents frequent attack and early occurrence of diarrhea in
under two children.
Key words: Exclusive breastfeeding, Formula feeding,
Diarrhea.
(J Banagladesh Coll Phys Surg 2016; 34: 21-25)