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Infant feeding practices in Ottawa-Carleton: the introduction of solid foods
B S Kwavnick1, D J Reid, M R Joffres
1Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS. beth_kwavnick@hc-sc.gc.ca
Insights
Canadian infant feeding guidelines recommend introducing solids at 4-6 months. Factors like not breastfeeding, younger maternal age, lower education, smoking, and lack of support are linked to earlier solid food introduction before 4 months.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Infant feeding guidelines in Canada for introducing solid foods are not widely recognized.
- Current recommendations suggest introducing solid foods between four to six months of age, contingent on infant developmental readiness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the factors and patterns associated with the early introduction of solid foods to infants.
- To assess adherence to infant nutrition guidelines in Canada.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from three cross-sectional surveys of parents with six-month-old infants in the Ottawa-Carleton region (1988, 1992, 1996).
- Utilized multivariable analysis to identify predictors of early solid food introduction.
Main Results:
- Mothers who did not breastfeed, were younger, had lower educational attainment, smoked, had partners who smoked, or lacked postpartum support were more likely to introduce solid foods before four months of age.
- Identified specific demographic and lifestyle factors correlating with non-adherence to recommended infant feeding timelines.
Conclusions:
- Early introduction of solid foods before four months is associated with several maternal and household factors.
- There is a clear need for targeted nutrition education programs to improve adherence to the "Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants" guidelines in Canada.
Abstract:
Infant feeding guidelines regarding the introduction of solid foods are generally not well known in Canada. The guidelines recommend that solid foods be introduced between four to six months of age, depending on the developmental readiness of the infant. In order to understand the underlying factors and patterns which contribute to the introduction of solid foods in infants, data were analyzed from three cross-sectional surveys of parents of six-month-old infants from the Ottawa-Carleton region (n = 373, 1988; n = 330, 1992; n = 338, 1996) conducted by the Ottawa-Carleton Health Department. Multivariable analysis showed that mothers who: did not breastfeed, were younger, had lower education, smoked or had partners that smoked, and lacked support after birth, were more likely to introduce solid foods before four months of age. These data support the need for nutrition education programs to increase adherence to the new Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants guidelines.