Rural-urban differences in breast-feeding and feeding practices of children by black Zimbabwean parents

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Periodical article

Title:	Rural-urban differences in breast-feeding and feeding practices of children by black Zimbabwean parents
Author:	Nyagura, S.
Year:	1999
Periodical:	Zimbabwe Journal of Educational Research (ISSN 1013-3445)
Volume:	11
Issue:	1
Period:	March
Pages:	13-25
Language:	English
Notes:	biblio. refs.
Geographic terms:	Zimbabwe Southern Africa
Subjects:	rural-urban relations breastfeeding baby food Medicine, Nutrition, Public Health child rearing rural-urban disparity Feeding
Abstract:	On the basis of an interview survey of 216 parents from Harare and Mashonaland East Province, Zimbabwe, with children in preschool centres or in the lower grades of primary schools, the author investigated the breastfeeding and feeding practices of rural and urban black Zimbabweans. The majority of the children were found to be breastfed. The results indicated that urban parents were more likely to breastfeed their children but that rural parents were more likely to breastfeed for longer periods of time. The majority of the children were introduced to solids and other foods at ages ranging from three to six months. However, 82 parents stopped breastfeeding before the child was three months old. Secondary educated parents stopped breastfeeding because of work commitment, while primary educated parents mostly stopped breastfeeding because of medical problems. In most cases, weaning was gradual. Bibliogr., sum.