Factors Affecting Exclusive Breastfeeding, Using Adaptive LASSO Regression

Document Type : Original article

Authors

1 Health Policy Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

2 Medical Students’ Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

3 Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

4 Shiraz Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

5 Health Policy Research Center (HPRC), Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in the first six months of the life can significantly improve maternal and children health, and it is especially important in low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to determine the factors affecting EBF duration in a sample of Iranian infants.Methods: This prospective study was conducted between April 2012 and October 2014 in Fars, Iran. Women (N=2640), who had given birth to healthy term infants were categorized into EBF versus non-EBF groups. Demographic information from mothers and infants, medical and drug history, and pregnancy related factors were compared between the two groups. Multivariable analysis was performed using Adaptive Lasso regression. P

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