Characterization of Infant Feeding Practices and Related-Family Characteristics in the French Nationwide ELFE Birth Cohort

Abstract

Family characteristics such as education level or income are related to infant feeding practices. This study aimed to characterize infant feeding practices and investigate their associations with family characteristics. Analyses were performed with data from a French nationwide cohort, Etude Longitudinale Française depuis l’Enfance (ELFE). Feeding practices were characterized by two methods, a principal component analysis and a hierarchical ascendant classification (n = 8922). This characterization was conducted in three steps: considering firstly only introduction of main food groups, then also food pieces and finally adding the type of complementary food. The associations between family characteristics and the infant feeding patterns or clusters were tested by linear or multinomial regressions (n = 7556). Besides breastfeeding duration and age of first introduction of complementary foods, it appeared also important to consider specific food groups such as sweetened beverages and cow’s milk, and the introduction of food pieces, to describe feeding practices. Recommended feeding practices (longer breastfeeding, complementary food in the right period) were related to higher maternal age and education level, so was migration status, the presence of older children, low income or the mothers’ attendance to pre-birth preparation classes. The interrelations between feeding practices and family characteristics must be considered when examining the influence of feeding practices on child’s health.

Associations between Infant Dietary Intakes and Liking for Sweetness and Fattiness Sensations in 8-to-12-Year-Old Children

“…Sex differences in children’s diet, food preferences and feeding practices were previously observed [ 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 56 ]. Interestingly, in the present study, boys had higher liking for sugary foods (and for fatty foods) and higher carbohydrate intake at 12 months compared with girls.…”

“…As in most cohort studies, mothers from our study sample were relatively more frequently highly educated and had higher household incomes than the national average. This could explain the low level and the lack of variability in the infant dietary exposure to sugar and fat as such feeding practices vary according to a socioeconomic gradient [ 44 , 45 ]. Consequently, caution needs to be taken about the generalization of our results.…”

“…Previous evidence suggested that infant feeding practices differed by sex. In France for instance, girls were more likely to be introduced later to complementary food, breastfed longer and consumed more ready-prepared baby foods than boys [ 44 , 45 , 46 ], which may lead to a lower exposure to sweetness and fattiness in infancy [ 40 ]. Furthermore, girls tended to consume more and have greater liking for fruit and vegetables than boys [ 39 , 41 , 42 , 43 ].…”

Infant feeding practices and body mass index up to 7.5 years in the French nationwide ELFE study

“…14 From these variables, infant feeding patterns (both as individual scores and clusters of infants) were identified using principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchal ascendant classification (HAC), respectively, as previously published. 15 This characterization enables to account for the co-occurrence or the combination of different practices during the first year and describes infant feeding as a whole. As PCA patterns are based on correlations between feeding practices, the PCA feeding patterns represent feeding practices that are often adopted simultaneously by parents.…”

Workplace Lactation Support: A Cross-Sectional Study in a University Hospital and a Perinatal Network

“…WHO has specified six global nutrition targets for 2025, one of which is to increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months up to at least 50% [4]. In France, a recent study reports that recommended feeding practices were related to higher maternal age and education level, so was migration status, the presence of older children, low income, or the mothers' attendance of pre-birth preparation classes [5].…”