J Korean Med Sci.  2013 Nov;28(11):1573-1580. 10.3346/jkms.2013.28.11.1573.

Trends of Breastfeeding Rate in Korea (1994-2012): Comparison with OECD and Other Countries

• Chung SH
• Kim HR
• Choi YS
• Bae CW

• KMID: 1777652
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2013.28.11.1573

Abstract

Breastfeeding has numerous benefits both for infants and mothers. WHO, UNICEF, and OECD report the breastfeeding rate (BR) and exclusive breastfeeding rate (EBR) at 3, 4, and 6 months of age for the international comparison. This article investigates the nationwide changes in BR and EBR in Korea from 1994 to 2012. EBR declined from 1994 to 2000, however progressively increased untill 2012. The latest data in 2012 revealed EBRs at 3, 4, and 6 months were 50.0%, 40.5%, and 11.4% respectively. The exclusive formula feeding rate (EFR) was highest in 2000 and gradually declined thereafter. In 2012, the EFRs at 3, 4 and 6 months were 21.7%, 26.5%, and 10.1%. In 2009, the EBRs at 3 and 6 months in the United States were 36.0% and 16.3% compared to 50.0% and 11.4% in Korea. In England, the EBRs were 17% and 12% in 2010. Amongst OECD countries, Hungary ranked highest EBRwith 95%, and Iceland, Norway, Slovak Republic, Australia, New Zealand followed. In conclusion, BRs were lowest in 2000, and there have been remarkable increases in BRs over the past 10 yr in Korea. Although BRs have been increasing, further efforts to increase BRs should be made continuously.

Keyword

Breast Feeding; Exclusive Breastfeeding; Trends; Korea

MeSH Terms

Breast Feeding/*statistics & numerical data/*trends
Data Collection
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Mothers
Republic of Korea

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Exclusive breastfeeding rates in Korea in 1994-2012. Data from survey of breastfeeding in Korea in 1994 and national surveys on fertility and, family health and welfare in 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 in Korea reported by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (*2 weeks in 2012).

• 

  Fig. 2 Exclusive breastfeeding rates (A) and sum of exclusive breastfeeding and mixed feeding rates (B) at 3 and 6 months of age in Korea in 2000-2012. Data from national surveys on fertility and, family health and welfare in 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 in Korea reported by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs.

• 

  Fig. 3 Mixed feeding (breastfeeding+formula milk feeding) rates in 2000-2012. Data from national surveys on fertility and, family health and welfare in 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 in Korea reported by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs.

• 

  Fig. 4 Exclusive formula milk feeding rates in Korea in 2000-2012. Data from National surveys on fertility and, family health and welfare in 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 in Korea reported by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs.

• 

  Fig. 5 Sum of exclusive breastfeeding and mixed feeding rates in Korea in 2000-2012. Data from survey of breastfeeding in Korea in 1994 and national surveys on fertility and, family health and welfare in 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 in Korea reported by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs.

• 

  Fig. 6 Exclusive breastfeeding, mixed feeding, exclusive formula milk feeding, and ever breastfed rates in Korea in 2009-2011. Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in Korea reported by the Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• 

  Fig. 7 Exclusive breastfeeding rates (A) and ever breastfed rates (B) in 2000-2009 in the USA. Data from breastfeeding rates reported by USA Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• 

  Fig. 8 Exclusive breastfeeding rates in OECD countries around 2005. Data of breastfeeding rates in family database reported by OECD refrence.

• 

  Fig. 9 Ever breastfed rates in OECD countries around 2005. Data from breastfeeding rates in family database reported by OECD reference.

• 

  Fig. 10 Exclusive breastfeeding rates in Asia Pacific countries. Data from Health at a Glance: Asia Pacific 2012 reported by OECD reference.

Reference

1. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Family databse, child outcome(CO)1.5 breastfeeding rates. accessed on 15 June 2013. Available at http://www.oecd.org/els/soc/oecdfamilydatabase.htm.

2. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Breastfeeding rate, family database OECD. accessed on 15 June 2013. Available at http://www.oecd.org/els/family/43136964.pdf.

3. World Health Organization. Breastfeeding health topic. accessed on 15 June 2013. Available at http://www.who.int/topics/breastfeeding/en.

4. World Health Organization. Programs and projects, nutrition topics, exclusive breastfeeding. accessed on 15 June 2013. Available at http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/exclusive_breastfeeding/en.

5. United Nations Children's Fund. Nutrition, breastfeeding, recommendations for optimal breastfeeding. accessed on 15 June 2013. Available at http://www.unicef.org/nutrition/index_24824.htm.

6. American Academy of Pediatrics. Section on breastfeeding: policy statement: breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics. 2012; 129:e827–e841.

7. American Academy of Pediatrics. Executive summary, 2012 breastfeeding and the use of human milk. accessed on 15 June 2013. Available at http://www2.aap.org/breastfeeding/files/pdf/Breastfeeding2012ExecSum.pdf.

8. Eidelman AI. Breastfeeding and the use of human milk: an analysis of the American Academy of Pediatrics 2012 Breastfeeding Policy Statement. Breastfeed Med. 2012; 7:323–324.

9. Feldman-Winter L. The AAP updates its policy on breastfeeding and reaches consensus on recommended duration of exclusive breastfeeding. J Hum Lact. 2012; 28:116–117.

10. Lee WS, Cho J, Choi YS, Chung SH, Bae CW, Jung JA. Breastfeeding rate in below 6 months infants during recent 6-year in Korea based on childcare database. Neonatal Med. 2013; 20:221–227.

11. Park IH, Whang NM. Survey of breastfeeding and strategic policy for improving breastfeeing in Korea. Seoul: Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs;1994. p. 41–72.

12. Kim SK, Cho AJ, Lee SS, Kim CK, Song IS. The 2000 national survey on fertility and, family health and welfare in Korea. Seoul: Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs;2000. p. 239–247.

13. Kim SK, Cho AJ, Kim YK, Park SK, Lee KW. The 2003 national survey on fertility and, family health and welfare in Korea. Seoul: Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs;2004. p. 299–305.

14. Kim SK, Cho AJ, Kim YK, Doh SR, Lee KW. The 2006 national survey on fertility and, family health and welfare in Korea. Seoul: Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs;2006. p. 310–321.

15. Kim SK, Kim YK, Cho AJ, Kim HR, Lim SE. The 2009 national survey on fertility and, family health and welfare in Korea. Seoul: Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs;2009. p. 282–294.

16. Kim SK, Kim YK, Kim HR, Park CS, Shon SK, Choi YJ, Kim YW, Lee GE, Yoon AR. The 2012 national survey on fertility and, family health and welfare in Korea. Seoul: Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs;2012. p. 415–441.

17. Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare and Korea Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention. Korea national health and nutrition examination survey in 1998, 2001, 2005, 2007-2009, and 2010-2012. accessed on 15 June 2013. Available athttp://www.cdc.go.kr.

18. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention USA. Breastfeeding, breastfeeding report card - United States 2012. accessed on 15 June 2013. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm.

19. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention USA. Breastfeeding. accessed on 15 June 2013. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/NIS_data.

20. UK National Statistics, Information Center for Health and Social Care. Infant feeding Survey-UK, 2010, incidence, prevalence and duration of breastfeeding. accessed on 15 June 2013. Available at https://catalogue.ic.nhs.uk/publications/public-health/surveys/infant-feed-surv-2010/ifs-uk-2010-chap2-inc-prev-dur.pdf.

21. OECD/WHO. Breastfeeding in Health at a Glance: Asia/Pacific 2012, OECD Publishing. accessed on 15 June 2013. Available at http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/health-at-a-glance-asia-pacific-2012/breastfeeding_9789264183902-18-en.

22. Kim HR. Trends of breastfeeding in Korea and other nations: strategic policy for improving breastfeeing in Korea. Issue Focus. 2011; 86:1–8.