title: Human milk intake and growth faltering of rural Mesoamerindian infants.
abstract: To determine whether growth faltering during early infancy was attributable to inadequate intake of human milk, the nutrient intakes and growth of 30 Otomi infants from Capulhuac, Mexico, were studied at 4 or 6 mo of age. Growth was monitored monthly from 1 through 6 mo of age. The 2H dose-to-the-mother method was used to measure human milk intake. Energy, protein, lactose, and fat concentrations in milk were analyzed by standard techniques. Mean (+/- SD) human milk intakes were 885 +/- 145 and 869 +/- 150 g/d at 4 and 6 mo, respectively. Protein and lactose concentrations in milk were normal but fat and consequently energy concentrations were abnormally low. Energy intakes averaged 81 +/- 14 kcal.kg-1.d-1 at 4 mo and 72 +/- 14 kcal.kg-1.d-1 at 6 mo. Growth faltering by 6 mo was evidenced by the significant decline in growth velocities and National Center for Health Statistics Z scores. Weight gain at 6 mo was 8.1 +/- 3.5 g/d and length gain was 1.0 +/- 0.34 cm/mo. Weight-for-age and length-for-age Z scores were -0.81 +/- 0.94 and -1.51 +/- 0.83, respectively. Growth velocities were not significantly correlated with nutrient intakes. Growth faltering among the Otomi infants despite energy intakes comparable to those of breast-fed infants in more protected environments may have resulted from an increase in the need for nutrients or from a growth-limiting nutrient, other than energy, in their diet.
authors.affiliation: USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Butte
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Villalpando
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Flores-Huerta
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Beltran
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D011203:Poverty; D012424:Rural Population