Print media coverage of breastfeeding in Great Britain: Positive or negative?

Item request has been placed! ×
Item request cannot be made. ×
loading   Processing Request
Read More Add to Saved list
  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101201025 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1740-8709 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 17408695 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Matern Child Nutr Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Publication: Oxford, UK : Wiley-Blackwell
      Original Publication: Oxford, UK : Blackwell Pub., c2005-
    • Subject Terms:
      Breast Feeding* ; Mass Media*; Female ; Humans ; United Kingdom ; Retrospective Studies ; Mothers ; Communication
    • Abstract:
      Media can be a powerful communication tool to promote breastfeeding, influence mothers' breastfeeding behaviour, create positive social norms and generate support among stakeholders and policymakers for breastfeeding. However, negative stories could deter women from starting or continuing to breastfeed. This study aimed to describe the breadth and focus of the media coverage of breastfeeding and the message frames that are found in three of the most widely read national newspapers and three popular women's magazines in Great Britain over a 12-month period, as part of the Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly in Great Britain (BBF-GB) study. For this retrospective media analysis, 77 articles were identified and 42 were included in the study for coding and analysis. We conducted two content analyses to examine the articles' (1) message framing and (2) alignment with the eight components of an 'enabling breastfeeding environment' using the BBF Gear framework. Articles featuring breastfeeding appear in British newspapers and women's magazines all year round. Twenty-four per cent had a neutral tone, while 59% predominantly focused on the positive aspects or positive social support for breastfeeding, and 17% were predominantly focused on the negative aspects or negative social attitudes towards breastfeeding. The articles mainly focused on personal stories reflecting societal barriers and positive shifts (68%), with 12% presenting an analysis of breastfeeding evidence or barriers. There were fewer references to the legislation (5%) and availability of funding (2%) and support (9%). There was no coverage of national coordination and strategy, evaluation systems, or the political will to raise breastfeeding rates.
      (© 2022 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
    • References:
      Int Breastfeed J. 2009 Nov 29;4:15. (PMID: 19943958)
      Implement Sci. 2017 Apr 18;12(1):52. (PMID: 28420401)
      BMJ. 2000 Nov 11;321(7270):1196-8. (PMID: 11073512)
      Matern Child Nutr. 2014 Jan;10(1):72-91. (PMID: 22712475)
      Matern Child Nutr. 2020 Apr;16(2):e12905. (PMID: 31840404)
      Matern Child Nutr. 2023 Jan;19 Suppl 1:e13458. (PMID: 36424710)
      Adv Nutr. 2012 Nov 01;3(6):790-800. (PMID: 23153733)
      PLoS One. 2018 Dec 5;13(12):e0207576. (PMID: 30517133)
      Lancet. 2016 Jan 30;387(10017):491-504. (PMID: 26869576)
      Global Health. 2020 Aug 28;16(1):77. (PMID: 32859218)
      Prim Health Care Res Dev. 2019 Mar 20;20:e24. (PMID: 32799968)
      Women Birth. 2021 Jul;34(4):e357-e367. (PMID: 32888859)
      Int Breastfeed J. 2008 Aug 04;3:15. (PMID: 18680582)
      Matern Child Nutr. 2005 Oct;1(4):250-62. (PMID: 16881907)
      Lancet. 2016 Jan 30;387(10017):475-90. (PMID: 26869575)
      Int Breastfeed J. 2018 Jun 15;13:22. (PMID: 29983727)
    • Contributed Indexing:
      Keywords: Britain; breastfeeding; media
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20221125 Date Completed: 20230113 Latest Revision: 20230302
    • Publication Date:
      20240628
    • Accession Number:
      PMC9835570
    • Accession Number:
      10.1111/mcn.13458
    • Accession Number:
      36424710