06 Effect of exclusive breastfeeding.pmd

1Educational Development Centre, Meshed University of Medical Sciences, Meshad, Islamic Republic of Iran. 2Department of Social Medicine, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. Received 29/11/01; accepted 21/07/02 ABSTRACT A cohort study was conducted in the Islamic Republic of Iran between January 1997 and February 1998 to compare the growth and morbidity of 100 infants who were exclusively breastfed for 6 months and 100 who received breast milk and complementary foods between 4–6 months. Infants’ feeding pattern, weight and height were assessed and recorded. There were no significant differences in infants’ weight and height gain between 4 and 6 months. The rate of diarrhoea between ages 4 and 6 months was significantly lower in exclusively breastfed infants than in complementary food-fed infants (11% versus 27%) and respiratory infections were also lower (23% versus 35%). We conclude that exclusive breastfeeding is superior at least until an infant is 6 months of age.