Feeding practices in the first year of life

Abstract

Introduction: Feeding is of particular importance in the first year of life when weaning occurs gradually and competes with complementary feeding to meet the nutritional needs of a child in order to ensure growth and development. Objective: To describe feeding practices in infants in the first year of life. Methods: Cross-sectional study using a questionnaire about a child's eating habits. The sample consisted of 122 children aged up to 365 days, divided into two groups: group 1 consisted of 34 children up to 3 full months of age, and group 2 consisted of 88 children, 4-12 months old. Results: Among the children in group 1, only 35.29% were exclusively breastfed, but 95.9% of the study population reported having been breastfed; and 55.68% of children in group 2 still take milk. In group 2, among the foods already introduced in the infants' feeding was: 83% fruit, 69% vegetables, meat broth 52.27%, 58% meat (beef and chicken), 76% bean broth, 42% beans, 59% rice/noodles, 78% potatoes, 22.72% egg yolk, 16% whole egg and 61% bread wafer. There was no reference to vegetables from 52.27% of the population, and 73.86% and 75% have not introduced fish or liver, respectively. Conclusion: The dietary habits of children who participated in the study include a great diversity of food, but there was a low proportion of exclusive breastfeeding as a result of the early introduction of complementary foods. A low consumption of foods such as vegetables and liver was observed.