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. The USA has made commitments and taken important steps towards this benchmark. However, today just 24% of children under six months of age are exclusively breastfed. More must be done to reach the WHA target.
325+ million (M)
$19 trillion (T)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 | 33,571 | Not Available |
| Acute respiratory infections/pneumonia | 64,739 | Not Available |
| Obesity | Not Available | Not Available |
| Preventable cases | Preventable Deaths | |
|---|---|---|
| Breast cancer | Not Available | Not Available |
| Ovarian cancer | Not Available | Not Available |
| Type II diabetes | Not Available | Not Available |
There are serious economic consequences to not breastfeeding.
Currently, USA suffers economic losses because only 24% 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 USA, health systems incur costs when treating illnesses that could have been prevented by breastfeeding.
| Type II diabetes in mothers | Not Available |
| Diarrhea in children | $1,826,502 |
| Acute respiratory infection/pneumonia in children | $26,443,932 |
| Total in USD | $28,270,434 |
| Total as a % of Gross National Income (GNI) | 0.000% |
When families do not breastfeed their children, they need to purchase formula. This results in the following household costs.
| In USD | $214,471,201 |
| Total as a % of nominal wages | 3.800% |
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
Economic losses in USA due to inadequate breastfeeding when the country's GDP is growing at 0%
Currently, 24% of children are exclusively breastfed in USA. 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.
The cost of inadequate breastfeeding due to cognitive losses
The total cost of inadequate breastfeeding (combined health system, mortality, and cognitive losses)
Economic losses in USA due to inadequate breastfeeding when the country's GDP is growing at 3%
Currently, 24% of children are exclusively breastfed in USA. 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.
The cost of inadequate breastfeeding due to cognitive losses
The total cost of inadequate breastfeeding (combined health system, mortality, and cognitive losses)
Economic losses in USA due to inadequate breastfeeding when the country's GDP is growing at 5%
Currently, 24% of children are exclusively breastfed in USA. 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.
The cost of inadequate breastfeeding due to cognitive losses
The total cost of inadequate breastfeeding (combined health system, mortality, and cognitive losses)
Economic losses in USA due to inadequate breastfeeding when the country's GDP is growing at 7%
Currently, 24% of children are exclusively breastfed in USA. 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.
The cost of inadequate breastfeeding due to cognitive losses
The total cost of inadequate breastfeeding (combined health system, mortality, and cognitive losses)
Economic losses in USA due to inadequate breastfeeding when the country's GDP is growing at 10%
Currently, 24% of children are exclusively breastfed in USA. 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.
