Growth patterns of breast-fed infants in affluent (United States) and poor (Peru) communities: implications for timing of complementary feeding.
We compared growth, dietary intake, and morbidity of infants breast-fed for > or = 12 mo from two populations: Davis, CA (n = 46) and Huascar, Peru (n = 52). When compared against WHO reference data (based primarily on formula-fed infants), Huascar infants appeared to falter as early as 3-4 mo, but when compared with Davis breast-fed infants, the curves for weight and length were very similar in girls until 10-12 mo and in boys until 6-9 mo. Thereafter, Huascar infants grew less rapidly than did Davis infants. Breast milk intake was very similar between groups, but in Huascar the amount and nutrient density of complementary foods consumed after 6 mo were lower and morbidity rates were much higher than in Davis. These results indicate that growth faltering of Huascar infants, when judged against breast-fed infants in the United States, occurs primarily after the first 6 mo of life and is not due to poor lactation performance.
Dewey
K G
KG
Program in International Nutrition, University of California, Davis 95616-8669.
Peerson
J M
JM
Heinig
M J
MJ
Nommsen
L A
LA
Lönnerdal
B
B
Lopez de Romaña
G
G
de Kanashiro
H C
HC
Black
R E
RE
Brown
K H
KH
D000818:Animals; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D004435:Eating; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human; D010568:Peru; D011203:Poverty; D014481:United States