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Presentation of breastfeeding in the Austrian media

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(Vienna, 15-01-2025) A research team from the Medical University of Vienna, the University of Vienna and the Yale School of Public Health has analysed the way breastfeeding and commercial milk formula are presented in more than 2,500 articles in Austrian print and online media over a period of two decades (2002-2022). The aim of the study was to analyse the content and evaluations of the media reports and to shed light on their possible effects on public perception and breastfeeding behaviour. The results were recently published in the journal Maternal & Child Nutrition.

The analysis shows that breastfeeding was presented as a secondary topic in most of the articles (49%) (main topic 40%). Most of the coverage was neutral (66%), while around a quarter reported favourably on breastfeeding. In only 8% of the reports was the topic presented in a negative light. According to the researchers, this predominantly neutral tone can be seen as favourable, as breastfeeding is portrayed in a positive light, but challenges such as obstacles and difficulties are also addressed. "This reduces the pressure on parents or mothers when breastfeeding is difficult or even impossible for various reasons," says study leader Maria Wakolbinger from MedUni Vienna's Center for Public Health. "Objective and balanced reporting can help to depolarise the public perception of breastfeeding and better support families in their individual decisions regarding their child’s nutrition." In the articles analysed, breastfeeding was rated significantly more positively than industrially produced infant formula (Commercial Milk Formula, CMF).  

Breastfeeding is considered optimal nutrition for newborns, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. In Austria, only 1.9% of babies are exclusively breastfed at 6 months - a figure that falls well below the global average of 48%. The decision to breastfeed and breastfeeding behaviour can be influenced by many factors. Social norms, the social environment, health reasons and marketing for CMF can all play a role, as can media reports. According to the researchers, it is therefore important to understand how breastfeeding and CMF are portrayed in the Austrian media and what impact these portrayals can have on families and the general public.

"Our analysis shows a stable trend in the attention paid to the topic of breastfeeding and a neutral to positive portrayal in the Austrian media. Reporting on the topic of breastfeeding should continue to present all nutritional options objectively and neutrally," states first author Birgit Zuckerhut from MedUni Vienna's Center for Public Health. In order to improve the quality and sensitivity of reporting on breastfeeding in the long term, the researchers propose targeted workshops and awareness-raising programmes for journalists. Such initiatives should promote a better understanding of the many benefits and challenges of breastfeeding and enable non-stigmatising communication. The study emphasises the importance of a balanced media discourse and the need to make the different perspectives and experiences of mothers visible.

Publication: Maternal & Child Nutrition
Content Analysis of Austrian Print and Online Newspaper Coverage of Breastfeeding Over Two Decades.
Birgit Zuckerhut, Brigitte Naderer, Jakob-Moritz Eberl, Petro Tolochko, Leah Lercher, Elena Jirovsky-Platter, Eva Winzer, Amber Hromi-Fiedler, Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, Maria Wakolbinger.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mcn.13795