Optimization of Infant Nutrition: Exploring Feeding Practices Among Indian Mothers
Dhanasekhar Kesavelu1, Sudhan Dhanasekhar2, Wasim Akram3
1Pediatric Gastroenterology, Apollo Children's Hospital, Chennai, IND.
Insights
Most Indian parents exclusively breastfeed, with formula use primarily for inadequate milk supply. Continued education is vital to promote optimal infant and young child feeding practices in India.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Nutrition
Background:
- Infant and young child feeding practices are critical for child development and survival.
- Optimal nutrition in early life significantly impacts long-term health outcomes.
- Understanding current feeding trends in diverse settings like India is essential for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate current infant and young child feeding practices.
- To identify patterns of breastfeeding, formula feeding, and mixed feeding.
- To explore reasons for formula use and sources of feeding information in an Indian outpatient setting.
Main Methods:
- An observational study was conducted with 103 parents of healthy children aged ≤6 years.
- Data on feeding practices were collected using a pre-designed questionnaire.
- Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS Statistics and Microsoft Excel.
Main Results:
- 42.7% of children were exclusively breastfed, 21.4% formula-fed, and 35.9% mixed-fed.
- Inadequate milk supply was the primary reason for formula use (50.85%), often clinician-recommended (71.2%).
- 38.8% of parents introduced inappropriate foods (salt, sugar, cow's milk) before one year; 62.1% used vitamin supplements.
Conclusions:
- Exclusive breastfeeding rates are high, aligning with recommendations and crucial for India's context.
- Formula feeding was predominantly a necessity, with Nestle NanPro being the preferred brand.
- While growth monitoring is common, targeted campaigns are needed to address misconceptions and improve feeding practices.
Objective:
This study aims to investigate infant and young child feeding practices in an outpatient setting in India.
Material And Methods:
About 103 parents of healthy children aged ≤6 years seeking outpatient pediatric care at an urban tertiary care hospital over one month were included in this observational study. Data regarding feeding practices was collected using a pre-designed and pretested questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, USA) and Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, USA).
Result:
The average age of the study population was 21.26 ±16.561 months. About 45.6% of children were <12 months old. Around 42.7% of children were exclusively breastfed, 21.4% were formula-fed, and 35.9% were mixed-fed. About 49.15% of parents chose formula feeding voluntarily, and 50.85% due to inadequate milk supply. Around 71.2% were recommended by the clinician, 16.9% chose formula based on online information, and 11.9% chose autonomously. Nestle NanPro was the most used formula, followed by Similac Advance, Pediasure Advance, Danone, and NeoSure. Also, 54.4% of parents monitored their child's growth. Nearly 15.5% and 6.8% of parents were concerned regarding insufficient weight and height gain, respectively. About 38.8% of parents introduced salt, sugar, or cow's milk before their child reached one year. Around 62.1% of children were given vitamin supplements.
Conclusion:
Our study revealed that most parents adhered to recommended guidelines by exclusively breastfeeding their children, which holds crucial significance in a developing country like India. Parents resorted to formula feeding only when necessary for optimal nutrition. Nestle NanPro was the preferred choice. While most parents demonstrated commendable awareness through growth monitoring and supplementation, there's a crucial need for campaigns to dispel misconceptions and promote proper feeding practices.
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