evaluation of relationship between breastfeeding duration and the prevalence of giardiasis and asthma in kindergarten, tehran

evaluation of relationship between breastfeeding duration and the prevalence of giardiasis and asthma in kindergarten, tehran

objective: breastfeeding protects infants against infections and has lifelong benefits for both mothers and infants. we aimed to determine the association of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding duration with the prevalence of infection by giardia lamblia and asthma in children. materials and methods: this case-control study included 60 children aged 1-5 years in the kindergartens of tehran from 2013 to 2014. case group included twenty asthmatic children and twenty children with giardiasis infection. twenty healthy children selected as controls. the three groups were breastfed in infancy. results: frequency distribution of breast-feeding duration in controls was significantly longer than the two case groups (p=0.031).

a higher percentile of asthmatic children had shorter breastfeeding duration, with no significant difference (p>0.05). giardiasis case group had significantly shorter breastfeeding duration than controls (p=0.001), as well as the duration of exclusive breastfeeding was significantly shorter in giardiasis case group than control group (p=0.030). conclusions: totally, the prevalence of asthma and giardiasis was related to duration of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding in children, with significant association between decreasing breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding duration and increasing giardiasis infection in children (p=0.001). accordingly, the society and mothers should be aware and encourage about preserving longer duration of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding that result in promotion of breast-feeding lifelong benefits.