A Fair Start for Better Health report reveals disparities in breastfeeding rate

On November 14, 2007 the California WIC Association will release A Fair Start for Better Health: California Hospitals Must Close the Gap in Exclusive Breastfeeding Rates. The report demonstrates that the exclusive breastfeeding gap is greatest in hospitals serving low-income mothers and babies, but goes on to show that by improving policies, hospitals can dramatically increase their rates.

We hope to generate some attention to the issues of disparities in breastfeeding and the impact of hospitals on breastfeeding rates in general. As members of the Rapid Response Media Network, we encourage you to send in letters to the editor in response to the report’s release. You can view the actual report beginning November 14 at: www.calwic.org (the link will be in the bottom right corner).

 Your letters in support and recognition of this report can highlight any or all of these points:

• Milk supply is best established with exclusive breastfeeding in the first few days after birth
• Studies indicate that breastfeeding can reduce the risk of overweight and obesity; low income populations are disproportionately at risk for childhood overweight
• Mothers, among all income levels and ethnicities, delivering at Baby-Friendly hospitals are more likely to breastfeed exclusively than mothers delivering at other hospitals.
• Statewide, 74% of African American mothers initiate breastfeeding in the hospital but only 34% leave the hospital exclusively breastfeeding
• Statewide, 86% of Hispanic mothers initiate breastfeeding in the hospital but only 32% leave the hospital exclusively breastfeeding
• Although California met the initial Healthy People 2010 goals for breastfeeding, those goals have been amended to include 40% “exclusive breastfeeding” goals that California does not meet

For statistics in your own county go to: http://www.cdph.ca.gov/data/statistics/Pages/BreastfeedingStatistics.aspx

Some important definitions:

• Exclusive breastfeeding – infant receives only breast milk, no other food or fluid
• Baby Friendly – refers to The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative developed by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund in the early 1990s to improve breastfeeding rates and reduce childhood illness and death.

We welcome you to share any letters or op-eds that get published with the rest of the Strategic Alliance membership by sending them to sana@preventioninstitute.org

WHAT IS THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE?

The Strategic Alliance is reframing the debate on nutrition and physical activity away from a focus on individual choice and lifestyle towards one of environment and corporate and government responsibility. Current Steering Committee members are: California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit), California Center for Public Health Advocacy, California Food Policy Advocates, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, California Parks and Recreation Society, California Project LEAN, California WIC Association, Child Care Food Program Roundtable, Latino Health Access, Partnership for the Public's Health, Prevention Institute, Samuels & Associates and YMCA of the East Bay.

HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER

The Strategic Alliance is currently engaged in building a broad and diverse statewide membership. To join or for more information, please visit us on the Web, www.eatbettermovemore.org, or contact Sana Chehimi at 510.444.7738 or Sana@preventioninstitute.org. And even if you're already a member, please forward this message on to your colleagues so we can continue to strengthen our coalition. Thank you!

The Strategic Alliance is reframing the debate on nutrition and physical activity--from a focus on individual choice and lifestyle, towards one of environment and corporate and government responsibility.

The Strategic Alliance is reframing the debate on nutrition and physical activity--from a focus solely on individual choice and lifestyle, towards one of environmental influences and corporate and government responsibility.

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