Do mothers understand healthy eating principles for low-birth-weight infants?

Public Health Nutrition

Jane B Morgan¹  Peter Williams¹  Lynne D Marriott¹  Keith D Foote¹ 

关键词: Low birth weight;    Mothers;    Attitudes;    Healthy eating;    Weaning;   

DOI  :  10.1079/PHN2005890

学科分类：卫生学

来源: Cambridge University Press

【 摘 要 】

ObjectivesTo describe feeding patterns and mothers' perceptions of desirable feeding practices in low-birth-weight (LBW) infants after hospital discharge in England and to test for the association of inappropriate practices/perceptions with identifiable demographics.DesignPostal questionnaires from 198 mothers of LBW infants in London, Liverpool and Winchester were analysed regarding infant demographics, mothers' demographics, infant milks used, solid feeding practices and mothers' perceptions of infant feeding practices.ResultsAt birth, the median weight, independent of gestational age, was 1.80 kg (range 0.6–2.50 kg) and 37.1% of infants received breast milk exclusively; 83.7% were breast-fed at some stage, a practice favoured more by first-time mothers (90.2%) than multiparous mothers (73.4%) (P = 0.004) as well as by mothers of higher social groups (P> = 0.019). The median age of solid food introduction was 17 postnatal weeks (range 8–36 weeks); the timing correlated strongly with infant birth weight (P < 0.001). A high-fibre diet and a low-fat diet were incorrectly considered important for their infants by 67.1% and 51.6% of mothers, respectively. Regarding a high-fibre diet as important was associated with being a multiparous mother (P = 0.006), while regarding a low-fat diet as important was associated with low social group (P = 0.018). A quarter of mothers did not consider 'plenty of calories' to be important for their infants, reflecting similar attitudes in 1990 for mothers of term infants; this incorrect attitude exhibited an association with being a first-time mother (P = 0.047).ConclusionsInfant feeding practices were very variable, showing poor concordance with national and international recommendations for term infants. In selecting foods for their infants, many mothers appeared to be applying principles more appropriate to planning a healthy diet for adults. There is an urgent need to develop and implement evidence-based guidelines for feeding LBW infants after hospital discharge, with special attention given to multiparous mothers as well as mothers from lower social groups.

【 授权许可】

Unknown