TY - JOUR

T1 - Evolutionary biological perspectives on current social issues of breastfeeding and weaning

AU - Tsutaya, Takumi

AU - Mizushima, Nozomi

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. American Journal of Biological Anthropology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Breastfeeding and weaning are actively studied from evolutionary, medical, and social research perspectives because of their close association with infant mortality, lifetime health, and human population dynamics. Each discipline benefits from an interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge regarding the bases, processes, and consequences of these phenomena. However, current social issues related to breastfeeding and weaning have received little attention from an evolutionary biology perspective. We address this gap by reviewing current social issues related to human breastfeeding and weaning in an evolutionary framework. This approach helps build a conceptual framework with the goal of better understanding ultimate causes of or influences on these current social issues. The six social issues reviewed here fall into three categories: the spatiotemporal constraints of breastfeeding, abuse of breast milk as valuable material, and mismatch in breastfeeding practices. Some of these issues have an evolutionary basis. We analyze the structure of these social issues and discuss their possible solutions in terms of extension of the trade-off theory in evolutionary biology. Our discussion on the current social issues in breastfeeding and weaning highlights the effectiveness of an approach rooted in evolutionary theory and biological anthropology.

AB - Breastfeeding and weaning are actively studied from evolutionary, medical, and social research perspectives because of their close association with infant mortality, lifetime health, and human population dynamics. Each discipline benefits from an interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge regarding the bases, processes, and consequences of these phenomena. However, current social issues related to breastfeeding and weaning have received little attention from an evolutionary biology perspective. We address this gap by reviewing current social issues related to human breastfeeding and weaning in an evolutionary framework. This approach helps build a conceptual framework with the goal of better understanding ultimate causes of or influences on these current social issues. The six social issues reviewed here fall into three categories: the spatiotemporal constraints of breastfeeding, abuse of breast milk as valuable material, and mismatch in breastfeeding practices. Some of these issues have an evolutionary basis. We analyze the structure of these social issues and discuss their possible solutions in terms of extension of the trade-off theory in evolutionary biology. Our discussion on the current social issues in breastfeeding and weaning highlights the effectiveness of an approach rooted in evolutionary theory and biological anthropology.

KW - breastfeeding and weaning

KW - evolutionary biology

KW - mismatch

KW - social issues

KW - trade-off

U2 - 10.1002/ajpa.24710

DO - 10.1002/ajpa.24710

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36815441

AN - SCOPUS:85149295179

VL - 181

SP - 81

EP - 93

JO - American journal of biological anthropology

JF - American journal of biological anthropology

SN - 2692-7691

IS - S76

ER -