Abstract
We compared growth, dietary intake, and morbidity of infants breast-fed for ≥ 12 mo from two populations: Davis, CA (n = 46) and Huascar, Peru (n = 52). When compared against WHO reference data (based primarily on formula-fed infants), Huascar infants appeared to falter as early as 3-4 mo, but when compared with Davis breast-fed infants, the curves for weight and length were very similar in girls until 10-12 mo and in boys until 6-9 mo. Thereafter, Huascar infants grew less rapidly than did Davis infants. Breast milk intake was very similar between groups, but in Huascar the amount and nutrient density of complementary foods consumed after 6 mo were lower and morbidity rates were much higher than in Davis. These results indicate that growth faltering of Huascar infants, when judged against breast-fed infants in the United States, occurs primarily after the first 6 mo of life and is not due to poor lactation performance.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1012-1018 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | American Journal of Clinical Nutrition |
Volume | 56 |
Issue number | 6 |
State | Published - 1992 |
Keywords
- Anthropometry
- breast milk
- diarrhea
- dietary intake
- growth monitoring
- infant malnutrition
- lactation
- length
- morbidity
- weaning
- weight
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
- Food Science