Introduction of complementary foods in infants.

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Nutrition Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Complementary feeding practices significantly impact infant health and development.
• Understanding trends in early food introduction is crucial for nutritional guidance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the frequency, age, and time trends of complementary feeding introduction in infants.
• To identify common early food and supplement consumption patterns.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study analyzing infant data from 2012-2015.
• Survival analysis used to determine time to introduction of specific foods.
• Data evaluated from the nutrition sector of Programa Einstein na Comunidade de Paraisópolis.

Main Results:

• Water (80.0%), infant formula (64.1%), and juice (51.1%) were most consumed.
• Water, infant formula, and tea were introduced earliest (median age 3 months).
• Water introduction increased significantly from 72.8% (2012) to 91.1% (2015) at 6 months; processed food introduction decreased from 30.8% to 15.6%.

Conclusions:

• Water and infant formula are the most frequently consumed and earliest introduced complementary foods.
• A significant increasing trend in water introduction and a decreasing trend in processed food consumption were observed over the study period.