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Infant feeding, solid foods and hospitalisation in the first 8 months after birth

M A Quigley1, Y J Kelly, A Sacker

  • 1National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK. maria.quigley@npeu.ox.ac.uk

Archives of Disease in Childhood
|October 3, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Breastfeeding significantly reduces infant hospitalization risk for diarrhea and LRTI. Starting solids before six months did not increase infection hospitalization risk in UK infants, contrary to common concerns.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Infant Nutrition

Background:

  • Most UK infants initiate solids before the recommended 6 months of age.
  • Early introduction of solids may influence infant health outcomes.
  • Breastfeeding is associated with numerous infant health benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the independent effects of breastfeeding and solid food introduction on infant hospitalization risk for infection.
  • To investigate the association between the timing of solids introduction and infection risk.
  • To analyze data from a large UK birth cohort.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Millennium Cohort Study (n=15,980) of term, singleton infants.
  • Assessed monthly hospitalization risk for diarrhea and lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI).
  • Analyzed the independent impact of breast milk versus formula feeding and solid food introduction.

Main Results:

  • Breast milk feeding was associated with a significantly lower monthly risk of hospitalization for both diarrhea and LRTI compared to formula feeding.
  • No significant increase in hospitalization risk for diarrhea or LRTI was observed in infants who had started solids compared to those who had not.
  • The age at which solids were introduced did not significantly alter the risk of hospitalization for these infections.

Conclusions:

  • Breastfeeding offers significant protection against infant hospitalization for common infections like diarrhea and LRTI.
  • Current evidence does not support a link between early introduction of solids and increased risk of infection-related hospitalizations in infants.
  • Public health guidance on infant feeding should emphasize the benefits of breastfeeding.

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