DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-100-6-0365

PODPORA DLOUHODOBÉHO KOJENÍ U STUDENTŮ A STUDENTEK LÉKAŘSKÉ FAKULTY MU

SUPPORT FOR LONG-TERM BREASTFEEDING AMONG STUDENTS OF THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE, MASARYK UNIVERSITY

Veronika Suchodolová¹, Magdaléna Výstupová¹

¹ Ústav veřejného zdraví, Lékařská fakulta, Masarykova univerzita, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Česká republika

Breast milk is a natural part of the diet of infants and older children. Breast milk and breastfeeding are very beneficial even for children older than 24 months. These benefits include, for example, a reduced risk of developing overweight and obesity later in life, a strengthened immune system, and a positive effect on cognitive development. Breastfeeding is also beneficial for the mother and has a significant impact on public health overall. The term “long-term breastfeeding” does not have a uniform definition, and its social perception is often contradictory. Healthcare professionals play an important role in promoting breastfeeding, and their education and respect for the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes can influence mothers’ decisions about the duration of breastfeeding. This study compares the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of students before and after completing a course focused on promoting and protecting breastfeeding. The results for the study sample indicate an improvement in knowledge regarding the recommended duration of breastfeeding, the content of the International Code, and the benefits of breastfeeding. Students in higher grades exhibited more positive attitudes toward breastfeeding older children, including breastfeeding in public, and were more likely to recommend longer breastfeeding durations to mothers.

Keywords: breastfeeding, breast milk, support, duration of breastfeeding

pages: 365-368, online: 2026