THE government has said that only 21 per cent of women in the country observe the two-year breast-feeding period recommended by experts.

Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Donnan Mmbando, told journalists at the launch of the Breast-feeding Week that the trend could be attributed to the change in lifestyle. He said some chose not to breast-feed their children at all for fear of disfiguring their breasts while denying their children their right.

Dr Mmbando also said children in rural areas were in a better position to enjoy being breast-fed longer compared to those in urban areas.

Moreover, he said, breast milk substitutes and similarly designated products which have flooded the local market had given mothers who do not want to breast-feed an alternative. He said about 50 per cent of mothers observed the exclusive six-month breast-feeding period, while only 30 per cent breast-fed alongside giving children pre-lacteal feeds.

Failure to observe proper breast-feeding had resulted in an increasing number of children who are malnourished or stunted. As a result, Tanzania had more stunted children than most African countries, except DRC and Ethiopia, with 42 per cent of its children being stunted.

"Relatively few children in Tanzania are very thin; however, many are very short and anaemic," he said. More over, there were few people who recognised being stunted as a serious public health problem because it was so common that it was considered as normal.

He said children who have been deprived of nutrients for healthy growth have also been deprived of nutrients for healthy brain development and healthy immune systems, calling upon mothers to observe breast-feeding guidelines.