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Infant feeding and growth of Chinese infants: birth to 2 years

S Leung1, D P Davies

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology
|July 1, 1994
PubMed

Insights

This study tracked 174 Chinese infants for two years, finding their protein intake significantly exceeded recommendations. Despite comparable energy intake, infants showed slightly lower weight and length compared to NCHS references.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Nutritional Science
  • Growth Monitoring

Background:

  • Infant feeding practices and growth patterns are crucial for long-term health.
  • Understanding nutritional intake in early childhood is essential for development.
  • Chinese infant growth data is vital for establishing accurate reference standards.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the growth and nutritional status of healthy Chinese infants over two years.
  • To evaluate feeding practices, including formula and protein intake.
  • To compare infant growth parameters with established international references.

Main Methods:

  • A longitudinal cohort study of 174 healthy, full-term Chinese infants.
  • Regular follow-up for two years, monitoring weight, length, head circumference, and skinfold thickness.
  • Assessment of infant feeding practices and dietary intake, particularly protein and energy.

Main Results:

  • Most infants (92% at 2 months) were bottle-fed with infant formula.
  • Energy intake was comparable to healthy Caucasian infants during the first year.
  • Mean protein intake during weaning was over four times the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation.
  • At two years, infants were lighter (-0.6 SDS) and shorter (-0.4 SDS) than the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) reference.

Conclusions:

  • High protein intake during the weaning period in Chinese infants warrants attention.
  • While energy intake is adequate, deviations in growth parameters suggest potential impacts of feeding practices.
  • Further research is needed to understand the long-term implications of these findings on child development.

Keywords:
Age FactorsAnthropometryAsiaBiologyBody HeightBody WeightChild DevelopmentChinaDemographic FactorsDeveloping CountriesEastern AsiaFollow-up StudiesGeneticsGrowthHealthHong KongInfantInfant NutritionInterviewsMeasurementNutritionPhysiologyPopulationPopulation CharacteristicsResearch ReportStudiesYouth

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