Table 2

Breastfeeding rates (%) and duration in P.R. China
Study site
 Initiation rate (%)
 Any breastfeeding rate at four months (%)
 Exclusive breastfeeding rate at four months (%)
 Breastfeeding duration (mean in months)
 Study details
Beijing** [24,27,53,54],
 92.0
90.5
 58.77
 39.2 (FBF)
 7.7
7.4
 Cross-sectional study:
study year: 1998, n = 251
study year: 1995–1998, n = 359
study year: 2002, n = 134
study year: 2002, n = 422
Shanghai**
[55-57]
 93.0; 97.3,
 56.8; 83.3;
 28.1; 41.1
 7.4
 Retrospective study,
study year, 2002, n = 1199; Cross-sectional study,
study year, 2004, n = 1877; Cohort study, study year, 1999–2000, n = 258
Chongqing** [55,58]
 95.4
 44.6
 22.4
 5.2
 Retrospective study,
study year, 2002; n = 383.
Cross-sectional study, study year, 1999; n = 603.
Guangzhou*
[39,55,59]
 93.9
96.4
 64.5; 92.8
 50.5; 56.6
 8.2
 Retrospective study:
study year: 2002, n = 954;
study year: 1995, n = 418,;
Survey year: 1998–1999, n = 1323
Fuzhou* [60]
 99.9
 88.7 b
 33.0 b
Cross-sectional study,
study year: 1995, n = 2972
Xi'an* [55,58,61]
 95.0
 70.2
 37.7
 9.5, 5.2(U) 8.0(R)
 Retrospective study,
study year, 2002; n = 491,
study year, 2001, n = 9000
Cross-sectional study,
study year, 1999; n = 1201.
Changchun* [55,58]
 95.7
 67.2
 28.6
 9.2
 Retrospective study,
study year, 2002; n = 385.
Cross-sectional study,
study year, 1999; n = 603
Harbin* [58,62]
 71.3 (U) a
84.6 (R) a
 57.5 (U)
75.0 (R)
 28.0
Cross-sectional study,
study year: 1996, n = 603,
study year, 1999; n = 596
Chengdu* [63]
 92.6
54.4 c
Cross-sectional study, study year, 1995–1996; n = 1527.
Taiyuan* [64]
84.1 c
 64.9 c
Cross-sectional study, 1998–2002, n = 2140
Kunming* [65]
79.1
 32.1
Cohort, 1993–1996, n = 913
Hubei p
[27,31]
 76 (U) a,
96.6 (R) a
 44 (U),
91.2 (R)
 60.2 (FBF)
 9.8
 Cross-sectional study, study year: 2002, n = 213. Retrospective study,
study year: 1998, n = 2000
Guangdongp [27,66]
 94.9
 87.2 b
 40.0 (FBF)
38.3 b
 6.3
 Cross-sectional study,
Study year: 2002, n = 135;
Study year: 1997, n = 316
Fujianp [67]
 99.0
 97.3 b
 43.1 b
Cross-sectional study,
study year: 1995, n = 1241
Jiangsup [68,69]
 95.4 a
 88.0
 23.1–41.65
Cohort, 1996–1997, n = 1950.
Cross-sectional study,
1994–1996, n = 1065
Gansup [70],
 96.0
47.6
Cross-sectional study,
study year: 2001, n = 1460
Guizhoup [70]
 97.5
42.9
Cross-sectional study,
study year: 2001, n = 1460
Zhejiangp [27,71,72]
 97.35(R)
52.4 (FBF); 44.0, 58.8 (R)
 8.2
 Cross-sectional study:
study year: 2002, n = 200; study year: 1998–1999, n = 486; study year: 1996, n = 371
Shandongp [27,73]
 98.88
56.7 (FBF);
25.72 (FBF)
 12.3
 Cross-sectional study,
study year: 2002, n = 220.
Cross-sectional study,
study year: 1996–2000, n = 21036.
Chengdem[74]
 94.8a
 92.9
 76.3
Cohort study
Study year: 1999–2002, n = 1042.
Shenzhenm [75]
 85.6–97.6
56.6–84.2
Cross-sectional study,
study year: 1995–2000, n = 3908.

FBF: Full breastfeeding, U: urban areas, R: rural areas.

a: at one month; b: at 3–4 months; c: at 4–6 months.

p: province; m: medium-sized city.

* Capital city of province.

** Large city (municipality directly under the Central Government).

Xu et al. International Breastfeeding Journal 2009 4:6   doi:10.1186/1746-4358-4-6