The Australian Feeding Infants and Toddler Study (OzFITS 2021): Breastfeeding and Early Feeding Practices

Abstract

The Australian Feeding Infants and Toddler Study 2021 (OzFITS 2021) is a nationwide survey of Australian caregivers’ infant and toddler feeding practices. Here, we describe breastfeeding rates and duration, use of breastmilk substitutes, and introduction of complementary (solid) foods, including common food allergens. Caregivers (n = 1140) were recruited by a digital marketing company and were interviewed using a structured telephone questionnaire to obtain information. Breastfeeding was initiated in 98% of infants, but the duration of exclusive breastfeeding to six months was less than 1%. Nearly 40% of children continued to receive breastmilk beyond one year, with 10% of toddlers receiving breastmilk at two years. One-quarter of infants were introduced to solid foods between 4 to 5 months, and nearly all infants had received solid foods by 7 months. New guidelines encourage the early introduction of potential food allergens to reduce the risk of allergy, and by 12 months, over 90% of children had been given eggs and peanuts. One-third of children received no breastmilk substitutes during their first year. One-third of infants first received breastmilk substitutes following birth and before discharge from the hospital. Of these infants, 30% ceased breastmilk substitute use after discharge. Our findings suggest a high rate of continued breastfeeding with 44% receiving breastmilk beyond 1 year. One approach to increase the duration of exclusive breastfeeding is to reduce breastmilk substitute use while in hospital.

Does Food Intake of Australian Toddlers 12–24 Months Align with Recommendations: Findings from the Australian Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (OzFITS) 2021

“…Due to the high breastfeeding rate in the second year of life [ 10 ], we stratified the consumption of core food servings and discretionary foods by breastmilk intake on the day of the food record to determine if any differences in consumption patterns for breastfed and non-breastfed toddlers existed. On average, breastfed toddlers consumed less of the five good group foods than non-breastfed toddlers, which may have implications for nutrient intake.…”

“…In this paper, we compare the number of daily servings of the five food groups and discretionary foods consumed by toddlers enrolled in the Australian Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (OzFITS) 2021 to dietary patterns recommended in the Australian Dietary Guidelines [ 2 , 9 ]. Due to the high breastfeeding rates in the second year of life [ 10 ], we compared the intake of the five food groups and discretionary foods in breastfed and non-breastfed toddlers. We also report the percentage of energy derived from each food group and the contribution of beverages, including breastmilk, to total energy intake.…”

Feeding Infants and Toddlers Studies (FITS) Provide Valuable Information for Setting Dietary Guidelines

“…The FITS studies that have been completed and published are shown in Table 1 [ 5 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. These studies have been ongoing, and since 2002, there have been seven countries having published results, including the OzFITS studies now published in this Special Issue [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. With each survey this is an opportunity to improve or modify the methodology yet stay consistent with a common analysis approach in more recent FITS such as those in Australia, China, Mexico, the Philippines, Russia, and the United States [ 3 , 4 ].…”

“…As shown in Table 1 , OzFITS is the latest FITS, and results are provided in four papers in this Special Issue [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ] with a concluding paper [ 9 ]. These researchers indicated that national nutrition surveys conducted in Australia over the past 30 years had not included sampling of children under 2 years of age [ 5 ].…”

“…In this Introduction to the Special Issue entitled “Australian Feeding Infant and Toddler Study 2021”, we provide the background to Feeding Infants and Toddlers Studies (FITS) which have, in the past two decades, provided much-needed data on early childhood nutrition that can lead to development of dietary guidelines specific for the first two years of life [ 3 , 4 ]. Appreciating the role FITS can play puts into context the findings of the most recent FITS conducted in Australia, called OzFITS [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Our purpose is to position OzFITS as a necessary and important step for healthcare professionals in Australia to have for developing dietary guidelines and nutrition education resources for its young children.…”