The Effect of Weaning Practices on the Nutritional and Health Status of Saudi Preschool Children
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Published on: July 29, 2020
Osman Suliman1, Walaa M Alsharif2, Emad A Alsaedi2
1Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Rayan Colleges, Madinah, SAU.
Insights
Delayed infant weaning in Saudi Arabia is common, with 85% of infants starting solids late. This practice significantly impacts children
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Weaning, the introduction of complementary foods, is critical between 6-12 months.
- Delayed weaning can lead to malnutrition, iron deficiency, and growth issues.
- Understanding weaning practices is vital for infant development and health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of early or delayed weaning on preschool children's nutritional status in Saudi Arabia.
- To analyze the relationship between complementary feeding timing, food choices, and child health.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 385 parents of Saudi preschool children.
- Data collected via online questionnaires on weaning practices and child health.
- Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and multivariate ANOVA (MANOVA).
Main Results:
- Only 6.23% of infants were weaned optimally (6-12 months); 85% experienced delayed weaning.
- 74.4% of preschool children were severely underweight.
- Weaning timing and patterns significantly affected physical health, with symptoms like fatigue and pale skin reported.
Conclusions:
- Delayed weaning is prevalent in Saudi Arabia and significantly associated with adverse health outcomes in preschool children.
- Further large-scale studies with biochemical assessments are needed to establish causality and specific health impacts.
Abstract:
Background Weaning is a complex procedure that gradually introduces complementary foods to the baby's diet. Solid food should be started between the ages of 6 and 12 months. Weaning is a challenging and crucial stage in an infant's development. Extreme caution should be used during weaning an infant because delaying it can cause issues like sluggish growth, difficulties feeding, malnutrition, and iron deficiency. Objective The current study aims to determine the impact of delayed or early weaning practices on the nutritional status of preschool children in Saudi Arabia. Data was gathered about the time of complementary food introduction, preferred foods in the initial stages, and a child's health compared to those practices. Methodology By convenient sampling, a cross-sectional study was conducted to gather data from 385 parents of Saudi children at preschool age. Questionnaires were shared online. Data were recorded and analyzed on IBM Corp. Released 2012. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 21.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp. Descriptive analysis and multivariate ANOVA (MANOVA) tests were performed. Results Only 6.23% of the infants were introduced to complimentary food at optimal age (6 to 12 months), whereas 85% were found to have delayed weaning. As per the BMI, 74.4% of preschool children were severely underweight, 53.6% of infants consumed pureed vegetables early during weaning, and 64% of infants were introduced to eggs and cheese within the first year of life. The timing, pattern, and food items of weaning had a significant (p<0.05) impact on general physical health, as 48.8% of children had pale skin, 46.9% felt tired, 36.5% had swollen joints, and 42% complained of itching and an upset stomach. Conclusion This study couldn't define the direction of significance. Further studies can be done on a larger scale where biochemical tests, and screening can be done on children to find if any significant health problem is prevailing, and the direction of association can be defined.
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