Food consumption and feeding patterns of Czech infants and toddlers living in Prague

Texture Consumption Patterns of 8- to 12-Month-Old Infants: A Reflection of Typical Feeding Development

Purpose The lack of age-appropriate expectations for the acquisition of feeding skills and consumption of textured food in early childhood inhibits early and accurate identification of developmental delay in feeding and pediatric feeding disorder. The objective of this study was to describe texture intake patterns in a cohort of typically developing infants between 8 and 12 months of age, with the aim of informing future research to establish targets for feeding skill acquisition. Method Using cross-sectional methodology, we studied the presence of liquid and solid textures and drinking methods in the diet, consumption patterns by texture and drinking methods, and caloric intake by texture via caregiver questionnaire and 3-day dietary intake record in 63 healthy infants between 8 and 12 months of age. Descriptive statistics and a one-way analysis of variance were conducted to compare the effect of age on texture intake patterns. Results Findings reveal rapid advancement of intake patterns for texture overall and for energy intake by texture between 8 and 12 months of age. Whereas liquids continue to provide a large proportion of total energy through this time, solids contribute an equal proportion of energy by 12 months of age. Conclusions This study describes texture intake patterns in a cohort of typically developing infants between 8 and 12 months of age by examining the presence of texture and drinking methods, liquid and solid consumption patterns, and energy intake by texture. When applied to data from a future population sample, findings will provide a threshold for age expectations for typical and disordered feeding development to aid in the detection of developmental delay in feeding and pediatric feeding disorder. What Is Known: Expectations regarding early feeding development have been focused on nutrition parameters. Lack of standardized, age-appropriate expectations for texture progression in infancy and early childhood inhibits early and accurate identification and treatment of pediatric feeding disorder. What Is New: We have described changes in dietary composition by texture and drinking method in healthy infants. Together with nutritional composition, this study describes a more comprehensive assessment of infant feeding, particularly to clinicians who need to diagnose feeding skill deficits. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.16879615.

Iron-fortified formula use in young children and association with socioeconomic factors in the French nationwide ELFE cohort

AIM

To study the rate of iron-fortified infant formula (IFF) use in young children in France and its association with socioeconomic factors.

METHODS

The ELFE national birth cohort included, in 2011, 18 329 living births in 349 hospitals randomly selected. The present analyses were restricted to children with follow-up at age two years. Milk consumption was evaluated by parental telephone interview, and its association with socioeconomic factors was studied.

RESULTS

The 12 341 analysed children had a mean age of 26 months; 50% were girls. Rate of IFF use before two years old and at two years old was 65% and 43%, respectively. At age two years, use of IFF was lower with young age of the mother (adjusted OR [aOR] = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.3-0.5), low educational level (aOR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.6-0.9), high parity (aOR = 0.3, 95% CI 0.2-0.4), and mother smoking (aOR = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.7-0.9) as well as low household income (aOR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.4-0.7), and parents' unemployment (aOR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.5-0.9).

CONCLUSION

In this national population-based study, the rate of implementation of the ID prevention strategy was much lower at two years old than before two years old, and significantly lower in disadvantaged populations.

The French national survey on food consumption of children under 3 years of age – Nutri-Bébé 2013: design, methodology, population sampling and feeding practices

Objective

To update the data on food consumption and practices in children under 3 years of age in metropolitan France.

Design

The Nutri-Bébé 2013 cross-sectional study selected a random sample, according to the quota sampling method. After giving their informed consent, parents had to record the food consumption during three non-consecutive days framed by two face-to-face interviews, using for quantitative information different portion size measurement aids.

Results

One thousand one hundred and eighty-four children were enrolled. Mothers’ mean age was 30·8 (sd 5·4) years; 38 % were primiparous; 89 % lived with a partner; 60 % had an occupation. Of the infants younger than 4 months, 31 % were breast-fed. One thousand and thirty-five children consumed infant formula followed by growing-up milk in 63 % of them; solid foods were introduced at a mean age of 5·4 (sd 2·13) months. From 8 months onwards, 25 % of children consumed the same foods as their parents on a more or less regular basis; 29 % ate in front of a screen, with a daily average screen time of 43·0 (sd 40·4) min.

Conclusions

This robust survey highlights the low prevalence and duration of breast-feeding in France and shows a modest improvement since the previous survey of 2005 in the observance of recommendations concerning other feeding practices. The frequent consumption of adult foods and the screen time are of concern.

Food groups consumed by infants and toddlers in urban areas of China

Background

Food consumption patterns of young children in China are not well known.

Objective

Characterised food groups consumed by infants and young children in urban China using data from the Maternal Infant Nutrition Growth (MING) study.

Design

One 24-h dietary recall was completed for 1,350 infants and young children (436 infants aged 6–11 months and 914 young children aged 12–35 months), who were recruited from maternal and child care centres in eight cities via face-to-face interviews with the primary caregiver. All foods, beverages and supplements reported were assigned to one of 64 food groups categorised into the following: milk and milk products, grains, vegetables, fruits, protein foods and desserts/sweets. The percentage of infants and young children consuming foods from specific food groups was calculated, regardless of the amount consumed.

Results

Less than half of infants consumed breast milk (47%), whereas 59% of infants consumed infant formula and 53–75% of young children consumed growing-up (fortified) milk. Rice was the number one grain food consumed after 6 months (up to 88%) and the consumption of infant cereal was low. About 50% of infants did not consume any fruits or vegetables, and 38% of young children did not consume any fruits on the day of the recall. Only 40% of all children consumed dark green leafy vegetables and even fewer consumed deep yellow vegetables. Eggs and pork were the most commonly consumed protein foods.

Conclusions

The data provide important insight for developing detailed food consumption guidelines for this population group. Mothers of infants should be encouraged to continue breastfeeding after the first 6 months. Parents should be advised to offer a wide variety of vegetables and fruits daily, particularly dark green leafy and deep yellow vegetables and colourful fruits. The consumption of fortified infant cereal should be advocated to improve the iron intake of Chinese infants.

The influence of early feeding practices on healthy diet variety score among pre-school children in four European birth cohorts

OBJECTIVE

The present study examined whether maternal diet and early infant feeding experiences relating to being breast-fed and complementary feeding influence the range of healthy foods consumed in later childhood.

DESIGN

Data from four European birth cohorts were studied. Healthy Plate Variety Score (HPVS) was calculated using FFQ. HPVS assesses the variety of healthy foods consumed within and across the five main food groups. The weighted numbers of servings consumed of each food group were summed; the maximum score was 5. Associations between infant feeding experiences, maternal diet and the HPVS were tested using generalized linear models and adjusted for appropriate confounders.

SETTING

The British Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), the French Etude des Déterminants pre et postnatals de la santé et du développement de L'Enfant study (EDEN), the Portuguese Generation XXI Birth Cohort and the Greek EuroPrevall cohort.

SUBJECTS

Pre-school children and their mothers.

RESULTS

The mean HPVS for each of the cohorts ranged from 2.3 to 3.8, indicating that the majority of children were not eating a full variety of healthy foods. Never being breast-fed or being breast-fed for a short duration was associated with lower HPVS at 2, 3 and 4 years of age in all cohorts. There was no consistent association between the timing of complementary feeding and HPVS. Mother's HPVS was strongly positively associated with child's HPVS but did not greatly attenuate the relationship with breast-feeding duration.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that being breast-fed for a short duration is associated with pre-school children eating a lower variety of healthy foods.

Factors associated with inappropriate complementary feeding practices among children aged 6-23 months in Tanzania

Inappropriate complementary feeding is one of the major causes of undernutrition among young children in Tanzania. Prevalence of newly developed World Health Organization complementary feeding indicators and their associated factors were determined among 2402 children aged 6-23 months in Tanzania using data from the 2010 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey. The survey used a multistage cluster sample of 10 300 households from the eight geographical zones in the country. The prevalence of the introduction of soft, semi-solid or solid foods among infants aged 6-8 months was 92.3%. Of all the children aged 6-23 months, the prevalence of minimum dietary diversity, meal frequency and acceptable diet were 38.2%, 38.6% and 15.9%, respectively. Results from multivariate analyses indicated that the main risk factors for inappropriate complementary feeding practices in Tanzania include young child's age (6-11 months), lower level of paternal/maternal education, limited access to mass media, lack of post-natal check-ups, and poor economic status. Overall, complementary feeding practices in Tanzania, as measured by dietary diversity, meal frequency and acceptable diet, are not adequately met, and there is a need for interventions to improve the nutritional status of young children in Tanzania.

Food consumption and nutrient intake in Finnish 1–6-year-old children

Objective

To study food consumption and nutrient intake in Finnish children aged 1–6 years and to assess the effect of age and sex on food consumption and nutrient intake.

Design

Cross-sectional samples of children participating in the Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) birth cohort study in Finland.

Subjects

The study population comprised healthy children recruited in the nutrition study within the DIPP study in 1998–2003. Three-day food records (2535 in total) from 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 6-year-old children were kept between the years 2003 and 2005.

Results

The energy-adjusted consumption of fruits and berries, cereal products, infant formulas and meat dishes was higher and the consumption of vegetables, salads, breads, dairy products, fat spreads, drinks, sweets and sugar was lower among 1-year-old children than older age groups (P for all <0·05). The mean daily energy intake increased with age and was higher among boys than girls in all age groups, except among the 2-year-olds (P for all <0·05). The diet of the 2–6-year-old children contained too much saturated fat and sucrose, and too little PUFA compared with the current Nordic Nutrition Recommendations. The intakes of most vitamins and minerals met the recommendations. However, the intakes of vitamin D, E and iron fell below the recommended levels. The nutrient density of the diet decreased after the age of 1 year at the time that the children adapted to the regular family diet.

Conclusions

In order to improve the diet of young children, it is essential to evaluate the diet of the whole family.

Home management of acute diarrhoea in Czech children

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to investigate home management of childhood acute diarrhoea.

METHODS

A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted in Prague, Czech Republic. The caregivers of 210 children ages 6 to 59 months were approached in public places and interviewed about the knowledge and use of oral rehydration solution (ORS) and about management of the child's last episode of diarrhoea.

RESULTS

Maternal knowledge of ORS (27.6%) and ORS use (1.9% during the child's last episode of diarrhoea) were low. They were positively associated with education level but not with the source of advice. Small volumes of ORS given and its refusal were issues. Increased amounts of fluid offered to 60% of children were significantly associated with higher maternal education and relatives/friends (76%) as a source of advice rather than a paediatrician (57.9%), the most frequent source of advice (78.1%). Black tea was the most common fluid given (86.2%) followed by plain or mineral water (41.9%). Breast-feeding of all breast-fed children was continued; low-lactose formula was given in 1 case only. Withholding food was rare (5.2%), but the diet of 75.2% cases was modified. Drugs were given to 52.4% children, most frequently smectite and/or probiotics, and antimicrobials were given to 6.4% cases.

Breastfeeding patterns of mothers with type 1 diabetes: results from an infant feeding trial

BACKGROUND

Both the initiation and maintenance of breastfeeding have been reported to be negatively affected by maternal type 1 diabetes (T1D). The aim of this study was to prospectively examine the breastfeeding patterns among mothers with and without T1D participating in a large international randomized infant feeding trial (TRIGR).

METHODS

Families with a member affected by T1D and with a newborn infant were invited into the study. Those who had HLA-conferred genetic susceptibility for T1D tested at birth with gestation > 35 weeks and were healthy were eligible to continue in the trial. Among the 2160 participating children, 1096 were born to women with T1D and 1064 to unaffected women. Information on infant feeding was acquired from the family by frequent prospective dietary interviews.

RESULTS

Most (>90%) of the infants of mothers with and without T1D were initially breastfed. Breastfeeding rates declined more steeply among mothers with than without T1D being 50 and 72% at 6 months, respectively. Mothers with T1D were younger, less educated and delivered earlier and more often by caesarean section than other mothers (p < 0.01). After adjusting for all these factors associated with the termination of breastfeeding, there was no difference in the duration of breastfeeding among mothers with and without T1D.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal diabetes status per se was not associated with shorter breastfeeding. The lower duration of breastfeeding in mothers with T1D is largely explained by their more frequent caesarean sections, earlier delivery and lower age and education.