OBJECTIVE: To calculate the prevalence of breast-feeding among children less than two years old, in the northwest region of the city of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: A survey was conducted in 2001, with 4 103 children, querying about birth date, gender, feeding practices and health services routinely used. The questionnaire was applied at the 42 public immunization centers during the 2001 National Campaign against Polyomielites. The child's diet was categorized as exclusive breast-feeding, predominant breast-feeding, continued breast-feeding and bottle-feeding. RESULTS: The prevalences of the exclusive and the total breast-feeding in the first semester were, respectively, 31.6%, and 74.5%. Among children aged from six to twelve months, 38.0% were breast-fed. In the second year, the prevalence of breast-feeding was reduced to 22.1%. Exclusive breast-feeding changed from 72.2% at the 7th day of life, to 53.8% at the 15th day, to 33.3% at the 3rd month, to 10.0% at the 4th, and to 5.7% at the 6th month. The total breast-feeding prevalence was 100.0% at the 7th day, 79.1% at the 3rd month, 54.3% at the 6th, 34.4% at the 12th, 26.1% at the 18th, and none at the 24th month. Exclusive and the total breast-feeding medians were, respectively, 67 days and 6.6 months. Among children who attended the public health system, 42.2% were breast-fed, against 34.4% of those who attended a private service (p<0.00001).The protecting effect of the Public Health Service remained, when the statistic model was adjusted for age; conversely, it vanished, when variables like income and maternal education were included in the model. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of breast-feeding is below official recommendations.
breast feeding; child welfare; epidemiology; health services; public health
