In Guatemala, breastfeeding impacts families, communities, and the economy.

There are serious health and economic consequences associated with not breastfeeding.

Globally, the World Health Assembly (WHA) has set a target to increase the exclusive breastfeeding rate to 50% by 2025. Guatemala has made commitments and taken important steps towards this benchmark. In 2015, the country reached a 53% exclusive breastfeeding rate. While this should be celebrated, progress must continue so that all children are able to thrive.

 

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Guatemala facts

17 million (M)

$76 billion (B)

53%
The global goal: All countries reach an exclusive rate of 50% by 2025.
Guatemala 53%
Global Goal: 50%
53%
50%
Annually, inadequate breastfeeding in Guatemala results in:
1,000+
preventable child deaths.

When a child is not breastfed, that child is less likely to survive. He or she is more likely to contract life-threatening illnesses and be less able to fight off sicknesses.

922,000
cases of diarrhea and pneumonia.

Children who are not breastfed are more likely to drink unclean water (in formula) and have less developed immune systems. This means they are more prone to contracting diarrhea-causing pathogens and pneumonia. The effects can be life-long.

$45M
in household costs.

When a child is not breastfed, families need to purchase breastmilk substitutes like formula, which is costly, especially for families in low-and middle- income countries.

$5M+
in health care system treatment costs.

When children are not breastfed, both children and mothers are more likely to get sick and need to seek out treatment. This results in significant treatment costs for health systems.

The human costs of not breastfeeding in Guatemala

There are serious health consequences associated with not breastfeeding.

When children are not breastfed, they are at higher risk of illness and death. Later in life, mothers who do not breastfeed are more prone to develop life-altering and life-threatening cancers and Type II diabetes.

Impact of not breastfeeding on morbidity and mortality in:

 

  Preventable cases Preventable Deaths
Diarrhea 882,756 382
Acute respiratory infections/pneumonia 39,226 824
Obesity 2,131 Not Available
  Preventable cases Preventable Deaths
Breast cancer 128 29
Ovarian cancer 22 15
Type II diabetes 2,708 212
The economic costs of not breastfeeding in Guatemala

There are serious economic consequences to not breastfeeding.

Currently, Guatemala suffers economic losses because only 53% of children are exclusively breastfed. These economic losses are the result of:

  • Higher health systems costs, as children and mothers develop illnesses that could have been prevented by breastfeeding practices;
  • Lost productivity, as children who were not breastfed are less likely to fully develop and fully contribute to the economy, and;
  • Higher household expenditures, as families need to purchase breastmilk substitutes like formula when they do not breastfeed their children

Impact of not breastfeeding on:

 

In Guatemala, health systems incur costs when treating illnesses that could have been prevented by breastfeeding.

Type II diabetes in mothers $397,870
Diarrhea in children $4,152,923
Acute respiratory infection/pneumonia in children $710,231
Total in USD $5,261,024
Total as a % of Gross National Income (GNI) 0.009%

When families do not breastfeed their children, they need to purchase formula. This results in the following household costs.

In USD $44,655,666
Total as a % of nominal wages 4.500%
Select a GDP growth rate

The health of an economy impacts a child’s earning potential. Put simply, the earning potential of a child living in a country with a low GDP will be smaller than that of a child living in a country with a high GDP. As GDP grows, a child’s lifetime earning potential grows. Yet, inadequate breastfeeding can limit a child’s development and earning potential.

See how different rates of GDP growth impact costs of not breastfeeding

Make a selection below:

Economic losses in Guatemala due to inadequate breastfeeding when the country's GDP is growing at 0%

Currently, 53% of children are exclusively breastfed in Guatemala. Explore the data below to see how the economic losses of inadequate breastfeeding at this rate change as the GDP grows more quickly or slowly.

The cost of inadequate breastfeeding due to preventable deaths.

Child mortality $53,583,444
Maternal mortality $184,235
Combined child and maternal mortality $53,767,679
Total as % GNI 0.092%

The cost of inadequate breastfeeding due to cognitive losses

Total in USD$130,583,243
As a % GNI0.223%

The total cost of inadequate breastfeeding (combined health system, mortality, and cognitive losses)

Total in USD$189,611,946
As a % GNI0.323%

Economic losses in Guatemala due to inadequate breastfeeding when the country's GDP is growing at 3%

Currently, 53% of children are exclusively breastfed in Guatemala. Explore the data below to see how the economic losses of inadequate breastfeeding at this rate change as the GDP grows more quickly or slowly.

The cost of inadequate breastfeeding due to preventable deaths.

Child mortality $164,541,636
Maternal mortality $201,260
Combined child and maternal mortality $164,742,896
Total as % GNI 0.281%

The cost of inadequate breastfeeding due to cognitive losses

Total in USD$400,989,169
As a % GNI0.684%

The total cost of inadequate breastfeeding (combined health system, mortality, and cognitive losses)

Total in USD$570,993,089
As a % GNI0.974%

Economic losses in Guatemala due to inadequate breastfeeding when the country's GDP is growing at 5%

Currently, 53% of children are exclusively breastfed in Guatemala. Explore the data below to see how the economic losses of inadequate breastfeeding at this rate change as the GDP grows more quickly or slowly.

The cost of inadequate breastfeeding due to preventable deaths.

Child mortality $364,371,661
Maternal mortality $213,239
Combined child and maternal mortality $364,584,900
Total as % GNI 0.622%

The cost of inadequate breastfeeding due to cognitive losses

Total in USD$887,976,398
As a % GNI1.514%

The total cost of inadequate breastfeeding (combined health system, mortality, and cognitive losses)

Total in USD$1,257,822,322
As a % GNI2.145%

Economic losses in Guatemala due to inadequate breastfeeding when the country's GDP is growing at 7%

Currently, 53% of children are exclusively breastfed in Guatemala. Explore the data below to see how the economic losses of inadequate breastfeeding at this rate change as the GDP grows more quickly or slowly.

The cost of inadequate breastfeeding due to preventable deaths.

Child mortality $834,454,742
Maternal mortality $225,739
Combined child and maternal mortality $834,680,482
Total as % GNI 1.423%

The cost of inadequate breastfeeding due to cognitive losses

Total in USD$2,033,572,298
As a % GNI3.468%

The total cost of inadequate breastfeeding (combined health system, mortality, and cognitive losses)

Total in USD$2,873,513,804
As a % GNI4.901%

Economic losses in Guatemala due to inadequate breastfeeding when the country's GDP is growing at 10%

Currently, 53% of children are exclusively breastfed in Guatemala. Explore the data below to see how the economic losses of inadequate breastfeeding at this rate change as the GDP grows more quickly or slowly.

The cost of inadequate breastfeeding due to preventable deaths.

Child mortality $3,039,265,838
Maternal mortality $245,499
Combined child and maternal mortality $3,039,511,337
Total as % GNI 5.184%

The cost of inadequate breastfeeding due to cognitive losses

Total in USD$7,406,713,033
As a % GNI12.632%

The total cost of inadequate breastfeeding (combined health system, mortality, and cognitive losses)

Total in USD$10,451,485,394
As a % GNI17.824%
Next steps in Guatemala

For Guatemala to thrive at the family, community, and national levels, breastfeeding rates and practices must improve.

Building and sustaining momentum around breastfeeding requires effective policy advocacy and social behavior change that combines interpersonal communications, mass media, and community-level programming. Reliable and timely data on rates and behaviors is critical to inform an approach that positions us to achieve global breastfeeding goals.

Tools & Resources: Global

This tool can be used to help inform policy actions, such as those recommended by the Global Breastfeeding Collective.

 
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