Undernutrition among Bedouin Arab infants: the Bedouin Infant Feeding Study.
Two hundred seventy-four healthy Bedouin Arab newborns in 1981 were followed for 18 mo to examine the relationship between infant-feeding practices and growth during planned social change. Although wasting was not prevalent, the prevalence rate of stunting (less than or equal to -2 SDs) increased from 12% to 19% to 32% at 6, 12, and 18 mo, respectively. After multiple-logistic-regression adjustment for covariates, the odds ratio (OR) of stunting at 6 mo was reduced among infants breast-fed only or fed with supplement compared with weaned infants. Infant-feeding practices were not associated with stunting in later infancy; however, those stunted at 6 mo had an OR of 13 of stunting at 12 mo and those stunted at 12 mo had an OR of 14 of stunting at 18 mo. In a multiple-linear-regression analysis, seasonality, duration of breast-feeding, hospitalized morbidity, and residual of height at 6 mo were negatively associated with daily average linear growth from 6 to 12 mo; these factors only explained 12% of the variation in daily linear growth.
Forman
M R
MR
Prevention Research Program, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, MD.
Guptill
K S
KS
Chang
D N
DN
Sarov
B
B
Berendes
H W
HW
Naggan
L
L
Hundt
G L
GL
D001942:Breast Feeding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007228:Infant Nutrition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors