Association between feeding practices and infants' nutritional intake: a 6-month prospective cohort study

Baby-led weaning (BLW), emphasizing self-feeding age-appropriate foods, differs from Traditional Weaning (TW) and Combination Weaning (CW). These methods influence dietary intake and growth, yet CW remains underexplored. This study examines the association of BLW, TW, and CW on energy, macronutrient, and iron intake, and their role in supporting age-appropriate growth. A 6-month prospective cohort study examined dietary intake and growth patterns in 124 infants aged 6-12 months. Feeding practices were assessed monthly using an infant-specific Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and growth was monitored using the Center for Disease Control (CDC) growth percentiles. Nutritional intake was compared to recommended values, and multiple linear regression was used to evaluate associations between feeding method and both calorie and iron intake, adjusting for infant and maternal characteristics. Compared to TW, BLW was associated with significantly lower calorie and iron intake, while CW was also associated with lower iron intake. Calorie intake increased with infant age but decreased with higher maternal age. Growth percentiles were highest in CW infants, elevated in TW, and slightly lower in BLW. Weaning method significantly influences nutrient intake and growth trajectories. While CW was associated with optimal growth patterns, it was also linked to lower iron intake compared to traditional weaning. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring nutritional guidance to support adequacy across feeding approaches.