HHS HealthBeat (May 10, 2010)

Breastfeeding – who and where

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Mothers in some groups and in some places seem to be more likely than others to breastfeed. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cria Perrine saw that in a state by state analysis of breastfeeding:

"Eighty percent of Hispanics were initiating breastfeeding, compared to 74 percent of whites and only 54 percent of blacks." (8 seconds)

The study also found some regional differences – for instance, in Eastern states, Hispanic women were more likely to breastfeed. But in Western states, white women were more likely.

And as other studies have found, younger women with lower incomes and less education were less likely.

The study didn’t go into possible reasons for the differences.

The research was in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: November 21, 2011