Prevalence and duration of breastfeeding. Influence on the breastfed infant’s anthropometric parameters Section: Featured Articles How to quote Sarrió Sanchis A et ál. Prevalencia y duración de la lactancia. Influencia sobre los parámetros antropométricos del lactante. Metas de Enferm jun 2011; 14(5): 13-18 Authors1Asunción Sarrió Sanchis, 2Lorena González Llopis Position 1 Enfermera de pediatría del Centro de Salud Ontinyent. Zona Básica (ZB) 14. Departamento Xàtiva Ontinyent, Valencia.2 Enfermera Coordinadora del Centro de Salud Ontinyent. Atención Primaria. Miembro de la Comisión para el Cuidado Integral de las Úlceras y Heridas Crónicas. Contact address Lorena González Llopis. Avda. Almansa, 9-4-13. 46870 Ontinyent (Valencia). Contact email: lore77@ono.com Abstract Objectives: to assess the pattern of prevalence and duration of breastfeeding in the population of a Primary Care Basic Area and to assess the influence of breastfeeding on the infant’s anthropometric parameters at 3 and 12 months of life.Material and methods: longitudinal prospective descriptive study. The sample consisted of mothers and their infants born between April 2007 and May 2008, and registered and the Ontinyent I Primary Care Centre. Variables: sociodemographic data of the mothers’, characteristics of the chosen lactation, reasons for abandoning breastfeeding, and the infants’ anthropometric data. Results: 75 mothers were registered (36 female infants and 39 female infants). 77,3% of mother initiated Exclusive Breastfeeding (EB). The month average for breastfeeding was 7,7. The abandonment rate for breastfeeding was 65,5%. 20,7% abandoned breastfeeding before the three months, 13,8% between four and six months, and 31% between six months and one year. Breastfed babies had a higher weight, height and head perimeter (HP).Conclusions: even though the prevalence of breastfeeding in this population is high, it falls below the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). Results seem to indicate that breastfeeding entails better progression of the anthropometric data of the infants. Keywords: anthropometric data; bottlefeeding; breastfeeding; nursing infant; Primary Careresearch Versión en Español Título: Prevalencia y duración de la lactancia. Influencia sobre los parámetros antropométricos del lactante