Related Experiment Videos
Weaning in southern Brazil: is there a "weanling's dilemma"?
J C Martines1, J P Habicht, A Ashworth
1Diarrhoeal Disease Control Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Insights
Access to clean water significantly impacts infant growth, especially for non-breastfed babies in low-income settings. Breastfeeding offers protection against diarrhea and supports better weight gain, mitigating risks associated with poor water access.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Nutrition
Background:
- Infant feeding practices and growth are influenced by socioeconomic factors and environmental conditions.
- Access to safe water is a critical determinant of child health, particularly in developing regions.
- Diarrhea poses a significant threat to infant growth and survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interplay between infant feeding patterns, growth, access to water, and diarrhea incidence.
- To determine the specific effects of water access on the growth of breastfed and non-breastfed infants.
- To examine the concept of a "weanling's dilemma" in the study population.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study following 400 newborns from low-income families in Pelotas, Brazil, up to 26 weeks of life.
- Data collection on feeding patterns, infant weight gain, access to indoor water taps, and incidence of diarrhea.
- Statistical analysis to assess the relationships between feeding, water access, diarrhea, and infant growth.
Main Results:
- Non-breastfed infants in homes without indoor water taps showed approximately half the weight gain in the first 3 months compared to breastfed infants.
- In homes with indoor water taps, non-breastfed infants' growth was comparable to or better than predominantly breastfed infants after 2 months.
- Breastfed infants experienced less weight loss during diarrhea and reduced diarrhea incidence, especially in homes lacking water taps.
Conclusions:
- Access to safe water is crucial for non-breastfed infant growth, particularly in environments with limited resources.
- Breastfeeding provides significant protection against diarrhea and supports better growth, irrespective of water access.
- The study found no evidence of a "weanling's dilemma" in this population, as the critical period for breastfeeding benefits did not align with the age when breast milk alone becomes suboptimal.
Abstract:
In Pelotas, Brazil, 400 newborns from low income families were followed-up until 26 wk of life to study the relationship between their feeding patterns and growth as modified by access to water and by diarrhea. Effects of access to water were the strongest among non-breastfed infants. In houses without indoor water taps, the weight gain of non-breastfed infants during the first 3 mo was approximately half that of partially or predominantly breastfed infants (P < 0.001). In houses with indoor water taps, non-breastfed infants' growth was similar to or exceeded that of predominantly breastfed infants from 2 mo. Predominantly breastfed infants' growth was similar in houses with and without water taps. Breastfed infants had less weight loss per day of diarrhea than non-breastfed infants during the first 4 mo and less diarrhea through 6 mo of life, particularly in houses without taps, in which diarrhea was most prevalent. The existence of a "weanling's dilemma" was approached by comparing the duration of the detrimental effects of not breastfeeding (i.e., 0-3 mo in this study) with the age at which breast milk alone becomes less than optimal for growth (i.e., at 5 mo). Because these two points did not coincide, we conclude that there is no "weaning's dilemma" in this population.