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Do mothers understand healthy eating principles for low-birth-weight infants?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

Jane B Morgan ,
Peter Williams ,
Keith D Foote  and
Lynne D Marriott
Jane B Morgan*
Affiliation:
School of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK
Peter Williams
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK
Keith D Foote
Affiliation:
Department Paediatrics and Child Health, Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester, Hampshire, SO22 5DG, UK
Lynne D Marriott
Affiliation:
School of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK
*
*Corresponding author: Email [email protected]
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Abstract

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Objectives

To describe feeding patterns and mothers' perceptions of desirable feeding practices in low-birth-weight (LBW) infants after hospital discharge in England and to test for the association of inappropriate practices/perceptions with identifiable demographics.

Design

Postal questionnaires from 198 mothers of LBW infants in London, Liverpool and Winchester were analysed regarding infant demographics, mothers' demographics, infant milks used, solid feeding practices and mothers' perceptions of infant feeding practices.

Results

At birth, the median weight, independent of gestational age, was 1.80 kg (range 0.6–2.50 kg) and 37.1% of infants received breast milk exclusively; 83.7% were breast-fed at some stage, a practice favoured more by first-time mothers (90.2%) than multiparous mothers (73.4%) (P = 0.004) as well as by mothers of higher social groups (P> = 0.019). The median age of solid food introduction was 17 postnatal weeks (range 8–36 weeks); the timing correlated strongly with infant birth weight (P < 0.001). A high-fibre diet and a low-fat diet were incorrectly considered important for their infants by 67.1% and 51.6% of mothers, respectively. Regarding a high-fibre diet as important was associated with being a multiparous mother (P = 0.006), while regarding a low-fat diet as important was associated with low social group (P = 0.018). A quarter of mothers did not consider 'plenty of calories' to be important for their infants, reflecting similar attitudes in 1990 for mothers of term infants; this incorrect attitude exhibited an association with being a first-time mother (P = 0.047).

Conclusions

Infant feeding practices were very variable, showing poor concordance with national and international recommendations for term infants. In selecting foods for their infants, many mothers appeared to be applying principles more appropriate to planning a healthy diet for adults. There is an urgent need to develop and implement evidence-based guidelines for feeding LBW infants after hospital discharge, with special attention given to multiparous mothers as well as mothers from lower social groups.

Keywords

Low birth weightMothersAttitudesHealthy eatingWeaning
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 9 , Issue 6 , September 2006 , pp. 700 - 706
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2006

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