Complementary Feeding Practices for South Asian Young Children Living in High-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nutrition
• Public Health
• Cross-cultural Health Studies

Background:

• Sub-optimal nutrition and high obesity rates are concerns for South Asian (SA) children in high-income nations.
• Complementary feeding practices (CFP) are identified as a key factor influencing SA children's nutritional status.
• Existing research highlights the need to understand CFP within this specific demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review studies on complementary feeding practices (CFP) in South Asian children (0-2 years) residing in high-income countries.
• To analyze dietary diversity, timing, frequency, and influencing factors (promoters/barriers) of CFP.
• To provide the first comprehensive review on CFP for SA infants in developed nations.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search from January 1990 to July 2018 across multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, etc.).
• Inclusion of primary research studies focusing on CFP in SA children aged 0-2 years.
• Quality appraisal using the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information (EPPI) Weight of Evidence scoring.

Main Results:

• 13 eligible primary studies were identified from 50,713 initial records, primarily from the UK (10 studies).
• All reviewed studies indicated sub-optimal CFP, with complementary feeding (CF) commencing before six months in all ten studies examining timing.
• Key promoters and barriers included income, parental knowledge, and the quality of advice received.

Conclusions:

• This systematic review is the first to evaluate CFP in South Asian children living in high-income countries.
• Findings reveal widespread sub-optimal complementary feeding practices, including early introduction of solids.
• Results underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve CFP and nutritional outcomes for SA infants in these settings.