State-Level Minimum Wage and Firearm Deaths Among Black Youth and Young Adults in the United States, 2000 to 2020.

Breastfeeding is essential for child survival and health, providing a safe, natural, nutritious, and sustainable nourishment []. Beyond reducing infectious morbidity and mortality, breastfeeding is associated with improved cognitive development, fewer dental malocclusions, and a lower risk of obesity and chronic diseases in life. For mothers, breastfeeding confers protective effects against breast and ovarian cancers, type II diabetes, and supports birth spacing. Improving breastfeeding rates globally could prevent an estimated 823,000 child deaths and 20,000 breast cancer deaths annually [, ]. Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is defined as providing infants with only breast milk without any other liquids or solids except for medically indicated supplements. Based on systematic reviews from 2002 and 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, with continued breastfeeding alongside complementary feeding up to two years [, ]. Despite these long-standing guidelines, in 2023, only 48% of infants under 6 months of age were exclusively breastfed worldwide []. EBF rates vary by region and country, depending on environmental, socioeconomic, and demographic factors, particularly in areas with significant inequities. In Brazil, persistent inequalities play a role in shaping breastfeeding practices, particularly among mothers in low-income communities []. Over the last 40 years, Brazil has made substantial progress in breastfeeding promotion through a series of comprehensive and innovative public health policies, including expanded maternity leave legislation, public awareness campaigns, and initiatives incentivizing primary health care professionals to support breastfeeding mothers [–]. Additionally, the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, which aims to promote breastfeeding immediately after birth, led to the establishment of the world’s largest network of human milk banks and the regulation of infant food marketing [, ].