Role of Anthropology in Young Infant Feeding

Background Infant feeding is crucial for growth and development of the child. It varies from one context to another including maternal HIV infection. Anthropologists examine infant feeding considering cultural, economic, political and historical variables in a single framework. Archival evidence showed reduced mortality among children breastfed from 1860-1930. Historical sources provide evidence for variation of infant feeding practices and can be triangulated with ethnographic studies to suggest the best infant feeding options. Team research by anthropologists and health professionals could generate data that complement one another thus producing evidence that best informs policy makers on young infant feeding. Method Using Cochran library, PubMed, Medline and Google scholar search engines and terms Research on infant feeding among HIV-infected mothers co-authored by anthropologists and pediatricians from 2000 2014. A narrative literature review was conducted to determine the magnitude of anthropological and pediatric research triangulation to create an awareness of the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration on young infant feeding. Results No studies were co-authored by anthropologists and pediatricians. Conclusion There is insignificant collaboration between anthropologists and pediatricians in research on young infant feeding. Recommendation Infant feeding policy changes need research collaboration between pediatricians and anthropologists to enhance understanding of cultural and ecological contextual variation.