Complementary foods for infants attended in a family health center in the north east of Brazil

Abstract

Objectives: To identify the offering of complementary foods to children aged below two years old, and the conformity of this with the Ministry of Health’s recommendations. Method: a study undertaken with 52 children in a Primary Healthcare Center in the North East of Brazil, between December 2015 and February 2016. Interviews were held with the mothers, who were given a socioeconomic questionnaire which was also related to the children’s dietary profile. The data were analyzed using the statistical program R®. The foods consumed were classified as either “not appropriate” or “appropriate”, according to the Ministry of Health. Results: of the children older than one year, one (3.3%) was receiving complementary breastfeeding, while those younger than one year old (n=22/100%) were eating baby porridge (‘mingau’*) and 20 (90.9%) had already drunk soda. Soda, mingau, salted snacks and cookies were the foods consumed most. “Inappropriate” food was prevalent in the children younger than one year old. Conclusion: most of the food given consisted of industrialized products, and is thus a problem of food insecurity for the study population.