Infant Processed Food Consumption and their Interaction to Breastfeeding and Growth in Children up to Six Months Old

Abstract

Background Evidences suggest that early processed food consumption may cause harms to infant health. During the first six months of life, it is not known whether timing and quantity of this food group can impact in breastfeeding and growth. The aim was to analyze the interaction between infant processed food consumption and their relation to breastfeeding and infant growth up to six months old. Methods Longitudinal study with a sample of newborns in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Data were collected in six interviews, from birth to six months, in a sample of infants with adverse intrauterine environments. Processed food consumption was calculated by gravity score food (GSF) in relation to feeding supply quality and time. For the analysis, the scores were divided into tertiles, making scores severities: Null, Mild, Moderate and Severe. It was tested its interaction with breastfeeding (exclusive and nonexclusive) and growth (analyzed in Z-scores, by weight for height and body mass index for age). Results A total of 236 infants were included in the study. Greater GSF were associated with better rates of breastfeeding practices and higher growth indicators scores in the sixth month of infants. The adjusted analyzes for family income, maternal age and pre-gestational body mass index confirmed these findings. Conclusion The harms of eating processed foods are more evident the greater and earlier they are consumed, in relation to breastfeeding and infant growth. Future studies should explore interventions to reduce consumption of these foods to prevent adverse health outcomes in later life.

Consequência Da Má Alimentação Das Crianças No Seu Desenvolvimento

“…Evidenciou-se, também, que a melhor prática alimentar para lactentes nos primeiros meses de vida é o aleitamento materno, pois proporciona diversos benefícios ao lactente, como proteção contra doenças alérgicas e respiratórias e prevenção do desenvolvimento de diabetes mellitus tipo 2 e obesidade em curto e longo prazo, entre outros (NEVES et al, 2021).…”

“…Essa interrupção do aleitamento materno precoce com alto consumo de alimentos ultra processados potencialmente gordurosos, grande ingesta de sódio e bebidas açucaradas, podem levar a inadequações alimentares ao longo da infância. Dentre os alimentos industrializados mais comuns oferecidos para crianças menores de seis meses estão a gelatina e o suco em embalagem cartonada, seguido por biscoitos recheados e salgadinhos nos meses subsequentes de idade, em especial para as crianças que necessitam de creches ou que são cuidadas por outros como familiares ou babás (NEVES et al, 2021).…”

“…Estudo longitudinalmente com o objetivo de analisar as associações entre o tempo de introdução e quantidade de consumo de PF infantil com duração da amamentação e crescimento infantil aos 6 meses de idade (NEVES et al, 2021).…”