Abstract
Although breast-feeding is widely accepted as important for infant health, its benefits during the second year of life have been questioned. We analyzed data from 107 breast-fed and weaned Peruvian children living in a periurban community to determine whether breast milk contributed to improved linear growth between 12 and 15 me of age. Breast-feeding frequency was self- reported; intakes of complementary foods and animal products were estimated from a food-frequency survey. Multivariate-linear-regression analysis was used to predict the length of the children at 15 mo of age. Determinants of length included length and weight-for-length at 12 me of age (US National Center for Health Statistics standards), interval between 12- and 15-mo measurements, breast-feeding frequency, incidence of diarrhea, and intakes of complementary and animal-product foods. Complementary foods, animal-product foods, and breast milk all promoted toddlers' linear growth. In subjects with low intakes of animal-product foods, breast-feeding was positively associated (P < 0.05) with linear growth. There was a 0.5-cm/3 me difference in linear growth between weaned toddlers and children who consumed the average number of feedings of breast milk. Linear growth was also positively associated with intake of animal-product foods in children with low intakes of complementary foods. The negative association between diarrhea and linear growth did not occur in subjects with high complementary-food intakes. When the family's diet is low in quality, breast milk is an especially important source of energy, protein, and accompanying micronutrients in young children. Thus, continued breast-feeding after 1 y of age, in conjunction with feeding of complementary foods, should be encouraged in toddlers living in poor circumstances.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1102-1109 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | American Journal of Clinical Nutrition |
Volume | 66 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1997 |
Keywords
- Animal products
- Breast milk
- Breast-feeding
- Complementary foods
- Diarrhea
- Energy
- Linear growth
- Peru
- Stunting
- Toddlers
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
- Nutrition and Dietetics