SURVEY OF EXISTING INFANT FEEDING PRACTICES: INTERVIEWING THE PARENTS

Abstract

Introduction. Healthy feeding is essential for infants’ healthy growth, psychomotor, cognitive and social development. First years of life are an important period when a person’s dietary habits are formed and the risks of obesity can be quickly formed and realized. Today, overweight and obesity are more dangerous for children’s health than underweight and malnutrition.The aim of the study was to evaluate the existing infant feeding practices using parental survey data (self-reported) in the context of modern evidence-based recommendations.Materials and methods. Anonymous survey of parents based on random sampling method was conducted as forphysical and psychomotor development of their infants, feeding practices, history of diseases, vaccination etc. Parents who had children of the second or third year of life were asked toanswer the questions online filling in the Google form on the forums of Odessa (Ukraine). By the end of the survey we received individual results, an automatically generated Excel pivot table and online charts.Results. There were 168 completed questionnaires in total. Assessment of children’s physical growth at the age of 1 year by using a z-score revealed: body weight for age is above + 2σ in 22.6% and + 3σ in 1.8% of children; body length for age + 3σ in 8.9%; body weight for body length ratio above + 2σ in 8.9% and above + 3σ in 3.0% of children. It was found out that 88.1% women initiated breastfeeding; 61.9% of them continued breastfeeding up to 6 months and 54.8% up to 12 months. 35.1% of breastfed children received water from the first months of life. 61.9% of children received vitamin D. 91.6% of parents started giving their childrenfirst supplementary food at the age of 4-6 months. At the age of 5–7 months, 92.9% of children were given vegetable puree, 77.4%, – fruit puree, 49.6% – meat, 38.1% – porridge, 28% – egg yolk. Infants’ menu was quite diversified at 9-12 months. It was revealed that some parents gave their children the following foods, drinks or ingredients which were not recommended for infants under 1 year: whole cow's milk - 20.2%, goat's milk – 11.3%, fruit juices – 49.4%, sugary drinks – 28.0%, honey - 13.1%; salt - 58.0%, sugar - 39.9%; tea – 23.8%. Parents fed their children by the hour in 19.1% of cases, turned on the TV (video) to feed the child in 40.5% of cases and forced the child to eat up the entire portion in 14.9% of cases; while the appetite of the child was regarded as satisfactory by 91.7% of parents. By the age of 1 year 38.1% of children were not given meatballs or fish, 29.1% – pieces of vegetables or fruits; 20.2% – other food in pieces. 23.8% of parents reported about adverse food reactions / signs of food allergy in their children. 39.3% of children were exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke. 45.8% of children were vaccinated according to immunization schedule, 38.7% of them were vaccinated partially or with a disruption of schedule, 15.5% ofinfants were not vaccinated until 1 year. During their life 30.4% of children had the acute respiratory diseases 1 time, 19.6% – 2 times, 18.5% – 3 times or more; 20.2% of children once suffered from acute intestinal infections; 1.8% of them had chronic diseases. During the first year of life 19.6% of children were hospitalized once and 4.2% of them twice or more.Conclusions. According to the weight / length ratio 11.9% of one-year-old children have overweight and a risk obesity in future. Sufficient prevalence and duration of breastfeeding was revealed, however, more than one third of children received water from the first months of life, which means breastfeeding was predominant but not exclusive. Supplementary feeding was introduced mostly in time, so infants’ menu was quite diversified by the age of 9-12 months. However, the first supplementary food products were not loaded with iron for most children, which caused anemia in 14.3% of them. Children often received foods, drinks, and ingredients that were not recommended for babies: whole animal milk, fruit juices, sugary drinks, honey, tea, sugar, salt. The increase of easily digestible carbohydrates was probably one of the overweight causes in children. Signs of non-responsive (inconspicuous) feeding were found (feeding by the hour, turning on the video during feeding, forcing the child to eat up the entire portion), which probably contributed to children’s overfeeding and could also cause excess weight. Almost one third of one-year-old infants neither acquired the skills of chewing food in pieces nor received finger food.