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UKnowledge > College of Public Health > Journal of Appalachian Health > Vol. 7 (2025) > Iss. 4

 

Corresponding Author

Amir Alakaam; amir-alakaam@utc.edu

Author Affiliations

  1. Amir Alakaam, PhD, MS, RDN, MBChB: Associate Professor and Program Director, Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, (Chattanooga, TN); E-mail: amir-alakaam@utc.edu; ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2746-027X
  2. Chia-Lin Chang, PhD, MPH, MLIS: Research Assistant Professor, Center for Rural Health, University of North Dakota (Grand Forks, ND)
  3. Hannah Jeffery, MPH, RDN: Graduate Assistant, Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, (Chattanooga, TN)

Author Area of Expertise

Amir Alakaam: Breastfeeding care and practices, nutrition education and eating habits, social determinants of health.

Chia-Lin Chang: Nutrition education, data analysis, research methods

Hannah Jeffery: Sports nutrition, eating habits and behaviors

Abstract

Introduction: Breastfeeding is widely recognized as the optimal source of infant nutrition, offering many health benefits.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine goals, exclusivity, and duration of breastfeeding and explore factors that influence breastfeeding practices among individuals in Tennessee (TN).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals (N = 1,249). Participants were recruited and data were collected from June – September 2021. The data were entered and analyzed from September 2022 – March 2023. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and ANOVA were used to analyze the data and identify associations between variables.

Results: About 32% of the participants did not meet their goal to exclusively breastfeed for six months. Most participants reported that they chose to breastfeed due to benefits for the child (78.4%) and woman (62.1%). About 44% of the participants indicated that their healthcare provider promoted milk formula, and 41% did not feel comfortable breastfeeding in public. More than half of the participants reported not receiving education on the benefits of breastfeeding from their healthcare provider. Findings showed a significant relationship between discontinuing exclusive breastfeeding early and not receiving support from hospital maternity staff (X2 (1, N = 403) = 7.7, p < 0.05) and not feeling comfortable breastfeeding in public (X2 (1, N = 372) = 15.5, p < 0.001).

Implications: Enhanced education and support from healthcare providers, along with efforts to normalize breastfeeding in public, are essential to improve breastfeeding outcomes and support individuals in achieving their breastfeeding goals.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.13023/jah.0704.01

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Alakaam A, Chang CL, Jeffrey H. Understanding breastfeeding practices in Tennessee: goals, duration, and reasons for discontinuation. J Appalach Health 2025; 7(4):1-18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13023/jah.0704.01

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