I am thankful for Norma Escobar's information.  In many countries
where breastfeeding is almost "universal", there is this problem of
supplemental teas and other foods.  That is why babies often get sick
with gastroenteritis even when they are breastfed, and this sort of
information is very important for studies, and the reason for UNICEF's
definition of breastfeeding.  It is my strong belief and experience
that *exclusively* breastfed babies never, or, not wanting to say
never, almost never get gastroenteritis.  Thus, when you hear that the
rate of diarrhea in Brazil is 25 time greater in formula fed babies
than breastfed, this is because the breastfed babies are often getting
water or teas in addition.  In fact, the rate of diarrhea in formula
fed babies is *infinitely* greater, if the rate in exclusively
breastfed is zero.

Each person is an individual.  We tend to say "Hispanic" and even if
we make the distinction between Peru and Mexico, we sometimes forget
that not everyone in Mexico thinks the same, just as not everyone in
the US thinks the same (about breastfeeding for example).

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC