Background: Breast milk serves as the natural and optimal source of nutrition and immunity for infants, playing a critical role in reducing the incidence of childhood infections. Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months of life, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), is associated with significant health benefits, while bottle feeding may expose infants to increased infection risks due to contamination and lack of protective antibodies.Objective: The present study aimed to compare the occurrence of infectious diseases among toddlers who were exclusively breastfed and those who were bottle-fed in selected areas of District Hoshiarpur, Punjab.Methodology: A descriptive comparative research design was adopted. The study sample consisted of 100 mother’s of toddlers, with 50 in the exclusive breastfeeding group and 50 in the bottle-feeding group, selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a self-structured observational tool and demographic profile, and were analyzed using SPSS software. Chi-square tests were used to determine statistical significance at p < 0.05.Results: The findings indicated a significantly lower occurrence of several infectious diseases among exclusively breastfed toddlers compared to bottle-fed ones. EBF was found to be protective against diarrhea (p = 0.001), typhoid (p = 0.014), respiratory infections (p = 0.001), pneumonia (p = 0.029), skin disorders (p = 0.001), ear infections (p = 0.003), dental infections (p = 0.012), and protein energy malnutrition (p = 0.001). No significant difference was observed in the occurrence of worm infestation, meningitis, conjunctivitis, tuberculosis, chickenpox, measles, or mumps.Conclusion: Exclusive breastfeeding significantly reduces the risk of various infectious diseases and malnutrition in toddlers. The study emphasizes the need to promote exclusive breastfeeding practices through healthcare education, policy advocacy, and community support to improve child health outcomes and reduce the burden of preventable illnesses.
Exclusive breastfeeding, Bottle feeding, Infectious diseases, Toddlers, Child health, Punjab
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