Breastfeeding, growth and diarrhoea in rural Bangladesh children.

It has been observed that breastfeeding protects infants from many illnesses. We examined whether breastfeeding alone or with a supplement maintained normal growth and whether the incidence of diarrhoea was different in the two groups. The study was conducted on 223 children in a rural area. Anthropometric measurements were obtained every month up to 12 months and then every 3 months. The history of feeding was recorded. The mothers were visited weekly to record information on diarrhoeal illness. Homemade supplements were used. The average weight of exclusively breastfed children was not significantly different from that of those who were breastfed with supplements. The average weight paralleled the Harvard standard up to the 4th month, and the increase in height showed the same pattern. During the first year the incidences and duration of diarrhoeal attacks were higher in the exclusively breastfed children than in the supplemented groups. On average there were 3.2 attacks of diarrhoea per child per year and the average duration was 15.9 days per child per year during the first 2 years.