Breastfeeding Attitudes Among Female Students in Syria and Hungary

Background: Breastfeeding is known as the perfect nutrition for babies. Despite its benefits, breastfeeding practices and attitudes vary across cultures, influenced by soci-etal norms, education, and personal experiences. This article studies the attitude dif-ferences among female students in Syria and Hungary and how sociocultural aspects impact their attitude towards breastfeeding. Methods: The questionnaire was a part of a multi-section questionnaire presented to 317 Syrian students from Damascus Uni-versity and 303 Hungarian students from Semmelweis University and Eötvös Loránd University. It assessed students’ attitudes towards breastfeeding through the Iowa In-fant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS). SPSS was used to analyse data. Results: Partici-pants in both countries demonstrated strong agreement with statements highlighting the emotional and nutritional advantages of breastfeeding. Many participants disa-greed with the idea that formula feeding is more convenient or that breastfeeding causes fathers to feel emotionally excluded. Attitudes toward breastfeeding in public were more divided, reflecting the sensitivity of the topic and varying degrees of ac-ceptance. Notable cultural differences emerged, with Syrian participants generally ex-pressing more traditional and favourable views of breastfeeding, especially regarding ease of digestion and emotional fulfilment. In contrast, Hungarian participants tended to be more neutral or uncertain on several issues, particularly those related to nutri-tional content and concerns about overfeeding. Conclusions: This study shows the differences in attitude among Syrian and Hungarian female students, which is rooted in cultural diversity and its effect on individuals’ decisions.