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Breast feeding and growth of healthy infants
The Medical Journal of Australia
|November 14, 1981
Insights
Breastfeeding is common in Perth infants, leading to slower weight gain compared to the 1960s. This trend may impact the future health and development of Australian children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Human Growth and Development
Background:
- Infant feeding practices significantly influence child development.
- Historical data from the 1960s provides a baseline for comparison.
- Understanding current infant growth patterns is crucial for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess current breastfeeding prevalence and duration in Perth infants.
- To compare contemporary infant weight gain patterns with historical data.
- To evaluate the potential long-term implications of observed growth trends.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study design.
- Inclusion of healthy infants from Perth.
- Monitoring of infant growth parameters, including weight gain.
Main Results:
- Breastfeeding was found to be prevalent and sustained among the study participants.
- Infants exhibited slower weight gain compared to historical data from the 1960s.
- The study established a contemporary growth trajectory for Perth infants.
Conclusions:
- Current breastfeeding trends are associated with altered infant growth patterns.
- These changes in infant growth may have significant long-term effects on the health of young Australians.
- Further research is warranted to explore the full impact of these findings.
Abstract:
Breast feeding was prevalent and sustained in a prospective growth study of healthy Perth infants and was accompanied by slower weight gains, compared to figures from the 1960s. This may have important effect on the future of young Australians.