Lactancia materna, recomendación universal, y controversias en su aplicación en diferentes contextos socioeconómicos

Objective

To analyze the applicability of the universal breast feeding recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) in distinct regional contexts in relation to maternal and infant nutritional status.

Material and methods

We compared the 2001 WHO proposal on exclusive breast feeding with data on maternal milk production in Indonesia, India and Mexico, considering the nutritional allowances and children's growth curves of the WHO.

Results

Daily maternal milk production from the three countries was 563 ml. The level recommended by the WHO is 1,248 ml, leaving an obvious daily deficit of 648 ml.

Conclusions

The universal application of the WHO recommendation puts children in underdeveloped countries at risk of malnutrition and predisposes them to chronic diseases in adulthood. To implement a global proposal or recommendation for exclusive breast feeding, the socioeconomic level of distinct regions, countries and social groups must be identified and the strategy of starting weaning at the age of 3 months should be evaluated internationally.