Progress

In the developing world, progress has been modest, from 33 per cent around 1995 to 37 per cent around 2008, a relative increase of about 15 per cent. Nonetheless, over the past 10 to 15 years exclusive breastfeeding rates have increased in all regions with available trend data except the Middle East and North Africa, and many countries have achieved substantial improvements. The CEE/CIS region has made particularly noteworthy progress.

Exclusive breastfeeding rates have increased in most regions
Trends in the percentage of infants under 6 months old who are exclusively breastfed

*: Excluding China due to lack of data
Note: Analysis based on a subset of 88 countries with trend data, including 83 developing countries, covering 73% of births in the developing world. Latin America and Caribbean were excluded due to insufficient data coverage. Regional trends indicate an increase from 31% to 46%, excluding Brazil and Mexico.
Source: MICS, DHS and other national surveys, around 1995 and around 2008

Evidence from a variety of countries indicates that marked improvements in exclusive breastfeeding are possible in the presence of effective regulatory frameworks and guidelines, and when comprehensive programmatic approaches are at scale. Over the past 5–10 years, for example, 16 countries have recorded gains of 20 percentage points or more in exclusive breastfeeding rates. The implementation of large-scale programmes in these countries was based on national policies and often guided by the WHO-UNICEF Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding, including the adoption and implementation of national legislation on the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and maternity protection for working women. Further actions included ensuring that breastfeeding was initiated in maternity facilities (and that no infant formula was used), building health worker capacity to offer counselling on infant and young child feeding, and mother-to-mother support groups in the community, accompanied by communication strategies to promote breastfeeding using multiple channels and messages tailored to the local context .

16 countries throughout the developing world increased exclusive breastfeeding rates by 20 percentage points or more
Percentage of infants under 6 months old who are exclusively breastfed