Abstract
ABSTRACTObjective: To analyze pediatricians’ representations on the nutritional alternatives that are adopted when weaning becomes inevitable.Methods: This is a mixed cross-sectional analytical study with probabilistic sampling. Fifty-seven randomly selected pediatricians were interviewed with the use of a semi-structured script for thematic analysis. The technique of free evocations was used, and the terms were processed using software EVOC 2005. The thematic categories were established on software NVivo10, and their co-occurrence matrix was exported and analyzed in terms of their simple similarity hierarchy on software CHIC.Results: In the pediatricians’ representations, whole milk was cited as a foodstuff with high allergenic risk (35.1%) and nutritionally inappropriate, and they did not recommend its use if weaning occurred before 1 year of age. The infant formula, referred by 98.3% of the pediatricians as the best alternative at the moment of weaning, was cited by 38.1% of them owing to its nutritional adequacy. The points quoted as unfavorable to the use of the formula were the price, the possibility of causing allergy and the risk of the inadequate use of such a highly industrialized product.Conclusions: The pediatricians’ representations show that they are sensitive to the importance of breast-feeding and at the same time, to the sociocultural difficulties inherent in the practice. Generally speaking, the interviewed pediatricians recommend the use of milk formulas, and not of whole cow’s milk, if weaning occurs before the end of the first year of life.
Highlights
In addition to the possibilities of mortality during childhood and school age,[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8] the first thousand days of life are considered crucial in determining risks for chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)
This study focuses primarily on the practices adopted at the time of weaning
Faced with the impossibility of its maintenance, pediatricians usually indicate the use of formulas modified from cow’s milk, even when they aim to resume breastfeeding, a situation in which the mixed feeding appears as an alternative when aiming to extend the duration of breastfeeding
Summary
In addition to the possibilities of mortality during childhood and school age,[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8] the first thousand days of life are considered crucial in determining risks for chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). In this sense, growth and nutrition, both in the intrauterine period and early in life, have been shown to be associated with early risk of overweight and obesity.[9,10]. Though incomparable to breast milk, formulas represent an advancement in children’s feeding when compared to the use of whole cow’s milk.[12,13]
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