The Rates of breastfeeding in the UK are said to be  the lowest in the world.

This is according to an international study  whose  data, published in the Lancet revealed that only one in 200 women – or 0.5% – is still doing any degree of breastfeeding after a year. This is in comparison to those of Germany, which recorded 23 percent, 56 percent in Brazil and 99 percent in Senegal.

It is the worst record in the world. Breastfeeding is far more common in developing countries, but the UK figures are behind even similar countries in Europe. The researchers said it was a “widespread misconception” that breastfeeding was beneficial only in poor countries.

A BBC report noted that in the UK, 81 percent  of mothers had tried breastfeeding at some point, but only 34%  managed to  breastfeed at six months while 0.5 percent continued at 12 months.

Meanwhile, in the US,  reports say 79 percent begins while  49 percent are said to still continue after six months and 27 percent  after a year.

Generally, women are usually counseled  to feed their babies  exclusively on breast milk for the first six months and then a continue with a combination of breast milk and other foods, however, it does not give a recommend end-point.

Here is a chart that could be of help as culled from the BBC!

Overall, the report’s authors said that near-universal breastfeeding could save over 800,000 children’s lives a year.