Objective: To assess the breast-feeding condition based on economic status among primary school children and
comparison between Turkman and non-Turkman ethnic groups in northern Iran in 2010.
Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional and retrospective research study, carried out on 6882 primary
school children (4157=non-Turkman and 2725=Turkman) from 112 school of urban and villages in the north of
Iran. The schools and students were chosen by multistage sampling (cluster and random sampling). Breastfeeding
was categorized based on World Health Organization classification.
Results: Breast-feeding during the first 6 postpartum months and two postpartum years was found in 5.8 and
57.1% of children. Breast-feeding during the two postpartum years was significantly 12.5% more in Turkman ethnic
group than non-Turkman ethnic group (P=0.001) but breast-feeding only for the first 6 postpartum months was 1.9%
in Turkman ethnic group less than in non-Turkman ethnic group (P=0.002). There was a negative significant
association between economic status and breast-feeding during the two postpartum years in both ethnic groups
(P=0.001) and there was more breast feeding in the first 6 postpartum months in Turkman ethnic group.
Conclusion: Breast-feeding rate in Turkman ethnic group is more common than non-Turkman ethnic group.
There is an inverse relationship between economic status and breast-feeding duration with a considerable trend
in Turkman ethnic group.