Maternal perception of hunger-satiety signals and their impact on feeding and nutritional status of infants in Mexico

Abstract

Introduction: nutrition during the first two years of life is crucial for the physical, cognitive, and emotional development of children. This study aimed to: 1) associate maternal perception of hunger and satiety signals with the type of feeding; 2) associate maternal perception of hunger and satiety signals with the infant’s weight status; and 3) determine the influence of feeding type on the infant’s BMI-for-age. Methods: a descriptive correlational cross-sectional study was conducted with 424 mother-infant dyads in Sinaloa, Mexico, using systematic random sampling. Mothers completed questionnaires on feeding practices and perception of hunger and satiety signals. Anthropometric data of the infant were measured, and the influence of feeding type on the infant’s BMI-for-age z-score was analyzed using multiple linear regression. Results: 45.8 % of mothers reported a low perception of hunger and satiety signals. 30.2 % of infants were overweight. Mothers with a high perception of signals reported a lower proportion of overweight infants. Mixed feeding and early introduction of complementary foods significantly influence the increase in infant zIMC/age score. Conclusions: maternal perception of hunger and satiety signals influences the infant’s weight status. Mixed feeding and early introduction of complementary foods increase the risk of overweight in infants. It is crucial to promote adequate perception of these signals to prevent nutritional problems in early childhood.