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Low birth weight babies under village conditions: feeding pattern, growth and motor development
S Kardjati1, J A Kusin, C De With
1Laboratorium Gizi, Fakultas Kedokteran, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya.
Insights
Low birth weight (LBW) infants in Madura showed better initial growth than normal birth weight (NBW) infants but experienced growth deterioration later. Motor development was similar for both groups.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Human Development
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Low birth weight (LBW) is a significant global health concern.
- Understanding infant growth and development in diverse settings is crucial.
- Previous studies on LBW outcomes in developing regions are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess feeding practices, growth patterns, and motor development in low birth weight (LBW) infants.
- To compare the outcomes of LBW infants with normal birth weight (NBW) infants in a rural Madurese population.
- To evaluate the long-term effects of early life conditions on infant development.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of infants born between September 1982 and December 1984 in three Madurese villages.
- Assessment of birth weight, feeding practices (including breastfeeding and force-feeding), and growth parameters.
- Evaluation of motor development milestones and comparison between LBW and NBW infants using NCHS centiles.
Main Results:
- Mean birth weight of Madurese infants was 2850-2950 g, with an LBW incidence of 9.5-12.2%.
- LBW infants, especially those very small (2.0-2.2 kg), predominantly received breast milk initially.
- LBW infants exhibited superior growth in the first six months compared to NBW infants relative to NCHS centiles, but growth declined significantly in the second half of infancy for all infants.
- No significant differences in motor development were observed between LBW and NBW infants.
Conclusions:
- Despite initial growth advantages, LBW infants experienced catch-down growth in later infancy.
- Under village conditions, LBW infants who survived demonstrated comparable motor development to NBW infants.
- The findings suggest that early nutritional interventions and monitoring are important for LBW infants, even in resource-limited settings.
Abstract:
Feeding, growth and motor development of low birth weight babies (LBW) were assessed among infants born from September 1982 through December 1984 in 3 villages in Madura. Mean birth weight of Madurese infants ranged from 2850-2950 g and the incidence of LBW from 9.5-12.2%. A larger percentage of the very small LBW babies (birth weight 2.0-2.2 kg) received breastmilk as the sole food in the first 6 months. Yet, force-feeding was also practiced for LBW babies. Infants remained in their growth channel according to birth weight, however, relative to the NCHS centiles at birth, LBW infants grew better in the first 6 months than normal birth weight (NBW) infants. Growth deteriorated conspicuously in the second half of infancy, irrespective of birth weight. There was no difference in motor development between LBW and NBW infants. Once they had survived, LBW infants appeared to do as well as NBW under village conditions.