The purpose of the present study was to use indicators proposed by the WHO (1991) to identify breastfeeding status in children less than one year old that took part in the second phase of the National Immunization Program in 1999. A sample of 1,715 (21.7%) children was taken from a total of 7,894 children less than one year old. Among them, 951 (55.5%) had been breastfed by their mothers in the past 24 hours. Considering children less than 4 months old (554), 104 were on exclusive breastfeeding; 223 (40.3%) were on predominant breastfeeding; 327 (59%) on complete breastfeeding and 471 (85%) on breastfeeding. Results showed that 144 (26%) children less than 4 months old and 268 (31.5%) children less than 6 months old used other milks associated to mothers' milk. The average duration of breastfeeding was 6 months in the municipality. The methodology enabled a comparison of data with those of the State of São Paulo, providing elements to guide and plan actions to promote breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding; Indicators
