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Survey of breastfeeding and infant nutrition in Switzerland

The FSVO recommends breastfeeding and promotes it through various measures. These are based on the results of surveys on breastfeeding and infant nutrition in Switzerland. A decade after the Swiss Infant Feeding study (SWIFS), a survey on the current situation will launch in autumn 2024.

Breastfeeding promotes infant and maternal health. The World Health Organization (WHO) therefore recommends to mothers worldwide that they exclusively breastfeed their child for the first six months of its life. In line with this, the FSVO promotes breastfeeding through various measures. These include information brochures and leaflets for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and providing funding for the foundation Breastfeeding Promotion Switzerland.

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Every ten years, the FSVO conducts a survey of infant nutrition in Switzerland.

Since 1993, the FSVO (previously the FOPH) has conducted a study of infant nutrition every ten years. The results provide information on the situation as regards breastfeeding in Switzerland, and in particular factors that promote or hinder breastfeeding. In addition to monitoring breastfeeding, more general information on infant nutrition is also collected.

Aim of the monitoring

Dietary habits change. Ten years after the Swiss Infant Feeding Study (SWIFS), information on the current nutritional situation and health of infants is collected. The mothers are also asked for information about the course of the pregnancy, the birth and about their health.
The results will be presented in a report together with a statistical analysis. This will set out the determinants and context factors which promote or hinder breastfeeding duration (e.g. mother's age, whether it is her first child, type of delivery, nationality and BMI). The weaning period will also be compared with paediatric recommendations.

Study procedure and realisation

Collection of data on breastfeeding and infant nutrition will begin in autumn 2024 with an online survey. Using computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI), a representative sample of 1000-2000 Swiss households with infants will be surveyed in the three official Swiss languages and English. Study participants will be drawn from the Federal Statistical Office's (FSO) sampling framework of individual and household surveys.
The survey will be conducted by Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) on behalf of the FSVO.
The study is funded by the FSVO and is scheduled to run until mid-2025.