Breastfeeding among contemporary Australian populations and 2025 national targets: a scoping review of current data and implications for policy and practice

Maria Oliveri; Jeanine Young; Kym M Rae; Vicki Clifton

doi:10.1186/s13006-026-00826-9

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Breastfeeding among contemporary Australian populations and 2025 national targets: a scoping review of current data and implications for policy and practice

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

Breastfeeding among contemporary Australian populations and 2025 national targets: a scoping review of current data and implications for policy and practice

Maria Oliveri, Jeanine Young, Kym M Rae and Vicki Clifton

International Breastfeeding Journal, Vol.Advanced access

14-Apr-2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13006-026-00826-9

PMID: 41981597

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Abstract

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

Health policy

Perinatal care

Health equity

Australia

Breast feeding

Public health

Background Since the 2010 Australian National Infant Feeding Survey, reliable breastfeeding data of comparable scale has been scarce, with annual national data remaining small in sample size and non-representative of diverse Australian populations. National 2025 breastfeeding targets, aligned with global nutrition targets, have not been evaluated. National breastfeeding data largely ceases upon immediate postpartum hospital discharge, resulting in the inability to monitor breastfeeding beyond this timepoint. Consequentially, maternal and child health priorities aimed to reduce health inequities among ethnically diverse and Indigenous Australians, also prove difficult to determine. Accountability towards achieving targets, through ongoing monitoring and evaluation of progress is difficult to establish, as breastfeeding remains excluded from national health performance frameworks and mandatory reporting systems. Methods A scoping review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA-ScR) to identify peer-reviewed publications reporting on breastfeeding practices among Australian populations, since the 2010. Identifying recent literature reflecting breastfeeding exclusivity, prevalence, durations, enablers and/or barriers in contemporary and diverse, nationally representative Australian populations, allowed for critical appraisal of Australian breastfeeding surveillance, in comparison to nationally reported breastfeeding data. Results Inconsistent definitions and reporting of breastfeeding practices resulted in breastfeeding intention, exclusivity and durations varying greatly between population sub-groups identified within the included studies. Durations of 0–6 months accounted for 68% of papers, with 29% of these reporting breastfeeding status at hospital discharge only. Marginalised ethnically diverse and Indigenous Australian populations face unique barriers to achieving breastfeeding targets, with implications to policy and practice baring special consideration. Conclusion Since 2010, Australian breastfeeding rates reported have remained unreliable and non-representative of diverse and marginalised populations. A national, standardised breastfeeding data collection framework, allows for accurate and ongoing documentation of infant feeding from birth, through to toddler years, to effectively evaluate national targets or equity progress. Including breastfeeding as a mandatory national health indicator with standardised national reporting systems, ensures policy accountability to monitor outcomes and guide resource allocation to support targeted interventions for marginalised populations. Cohesive national policy and legislation to protect, promote and support breastfeeding, reduces structural and societal barriers faced in achieving equitable and optimal breastfeeding outcomes.

Details

Title: Breastfeeding among contemporary Australian populations and 2025 national targets: a scoping review of current data and implications for policy and practice
Authors: Maria Oliveri (Corresponding Author) - The University of Queensland
Jeanine Young - University of the Sunshine Coast
Kym M Rae - The University of Queensland
Vicki Clifton - The University of Queensland
Publication details: International Breastfeeding Journal, Vol.Advanced access
Publisher: BioMed Central Ltd.
DOI: 10.1186/s13006-026-00826-9
ISSN: 1746-4358
PMID: 41981597
Copyright note: This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Data Availability: Not applicable.
Grant note: KMR kindly acknowledges support by Mater Foundation and Equity Trustees (ANZ QLD Community Foundation, QCF-Anz Bank Fund, QCF – Thomas George Swallow Trust and The HJ Hinchey Cht Trust). MO would like to acknowledge The University of Queensland Graduate School Scholarship (UQGSS) as a Masters of Philosophy Student.
Organisation Unit: School of Health - Nursing
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991224893402621
Output Type: Journal article

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