Breast milk or animal-product foods improve linear growth of Peruvian toddlers consuming marginal diets

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 mo 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 mo 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 mo 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.

Breast-feeding practices in Mexico: results from the Second National Nutrition Survey 1999

“…It has been observed that mothers decide not to wean the sicker infants and extend the duration of breastfeeding to protect the weaker child. 7,39,40 This has been described for infants older that 6 mo and for any and not for exclusive breast-feeding. Thus, reverse causality cannot explain the greater p(EBF<6) observed in our data.…”

“…1 Breast-feeding increases the infant's opportunities for survival 2,3 promotes better health [4][5][6] nutritional status 7 and cognitive development 8 and appears to be a protective factor against overweight later in life. 9 Breastfeeding also brings advantages to maternal health.…”

Determinants of infant growth in the slums of Dhaka: size and maturity at birth, breastfeeding and morbidity

“…A measure of complementary feeding was created by using a count of the different types of complementary drinks or foods given to infants in the 7 days preceding the visit (Marquis et al, 1997). There were nine possible Determinants of infant growth in Dhaka slums SE Arifeen et al foodadrink items for this measure: sugar water, honey, milk (non-breastmilk), cereal, egg, vegetables, fruits, pulses, and meat ± ®sh.…”

Effect of exclusive breast-feeding on the linear growth of children aged 24-36 months in Bandung's urban slum area

“…They found that breast-feeding positively affected the growth performance of the infants by averting infections and possibly by improving nutrient intake during infections. 9 Study performed by Marquis et al 10 proved that in subjects with low intake of animal product foods, breast-feeding was positively associated (P< 0.05) with linear growth. There was a 0.5 cm/3 month difference in linear growth between weaned toddlers and those who consumed the average number of feedings of breast milk.…”