Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mexico

Mexico: Exclusive breastfeeding rate was 27.1% in 2019. ▬ Flat

Latest (2019)
27.1%
World rank
61st
of 72 countries
All-time high
30.1%
in 2015
All-time low
14.4%
in 2012
Years of data
6
1987–2019

Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mexico, 1987–2019

01020301987200320191987: 27.9 % of children under 6 months1999: 20.3 % of children under 6 months2009: 18.6 % of children under 6 months2012: 14.4 % of children under 6 months2015: 30.1 % of children under 6 months2019: 27.1 % of children under 6 months

Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children under 6 months.

Analysis

The most recent figure for exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mexico is 27.1%, measured in 2019.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 45.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mexico peaked at 30.1% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 14.4%, in 2012.

That places Mexico 61st out of 72 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 27.9% 27.9% 27.9% 1
1990s 20.3% 20.3% 20.3% 1
2000s 18.6% 18.6% 18.6% 1
2010s 23.9% 14.4% 30.1% 3

Countries ranked near Mexico

  1. 58 Paraguay 29.6% compare
  2. 59 Nigeria 28.7% compare
  3. 60 North Macedonia 27.5% compare
  4. 62 United States 25.8% compare
  5. 63 Jordan 25.4% compare
  6. 64 Vietnam 24.0% compare

See the full ranking of 72 places →

More reference data data for Mexico

All data for Mexico →

Frequently asked questions

What is exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mexico?
Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mexico was 27.1% in 2019, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Mexico?
The highest recorded value was 30.1% in 2015.
What is the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Mexico?
The lowest recorded value was 14.4% in 2012.
How does Mexico rank for exclusive breastfeeding rate?
Mexico ranks 61st out of 72 countries with data for 2019.
Is exclusive breastfeeding rate rising or falling in Mexico?
Over the last ten years it is up 45.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Mexico data come from?
The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Exclusive breastfeeding rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Exclusive breastfeeding rate
Unit
% of children under 6 months
Source
Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
72 places, 509 data points, 1986–2020
Last refreshed

The share of infants less than six months old who were fed only with breast milk in the past 24 hours. WHO and UNICEF recommend that children be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water.