title: Duration of exclusive breastfeeding and subsequent child feeding adequacy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mothers of young children in Ghana believe that breastfeeding exclusively for six months impairs subsequent introduction of other foods. The current study was designed to determine whether feeding adequacy among 9-23 months old children is influenced by duration of exclusive breastfeeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  We surveyed 300 mother-infant pairs attending child-welfare-clinic at the University of Ghana Hospital, Accra. Data collected included sociodemographic characteristics, morbidity, breastfeeding history, and maternal practices and perception on child feeding and temperament. Current child feeding was assessed using 24-hour dietary recall. Adequately fed children were defined as 9-23 month old children meeting three basic feeding adequacy thresholds: 1) was fed complementary foods, at least three times in the last 24 hours, 2) was fed from at least three food groups, and 3) received breast milk in the last 24 hours. Multiple logistic regressions were used to identify independent predictors of child feeding adequacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About 66% of children were exclusively breastfed for six months and only 56% were adequately fed in the in the 24 hours preceding the survey. Child feeding adequacy was unrelated to duration of exclusive breastfeeding (OR=0.73; p=0.30). After controlling for child sex, age, and maternal education, the independent determinants of feeding adequacy included recent child morbidity (OR=0.41; p=0.03), number of caregivers who feed child (OR=1.33; p=0.03), and maternal perception that child does not like food (OR=0.25; p<0.01). Child temperament was unrelated to feeding adequacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Child feeding adequacy is not affected by duration of exclusive breastfeeding. The study provides evidence to address misperceptions about exclusively breastfeeding for six months.
authors: Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, University of Ghana School of Public Health, P. O. Box LG 13, Legon, Ghana. raryeetey@ug.edu.gh
authors: R N O
authors: RN
authors: Aryeetey
authors: Y E
authors: YE
authors: Goh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005869:Ghana; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Exclusive breastfeeding; child; dietary diversity; duration; feeding adequacy
references: Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007 Aug;61(8):946-56
references: 17228346
references: Public Health Nutr. 2004 Apr;7(2):295-302
references: 15003137
references: Lancet. 2008 Jan 19;371(9608):243-60
references: 18207566
references: Lancet. 2003 Jul 5;362(9377):65-71
references: 12853204
references: J Hum Nutr Diet. 2001 Feb;14(1):43-54
references: 11301932
references: Am J Clin Nutr. 1977 Aug;30(8):1215-27
references: 888779
references: Am J Clin Nutr. 1997 Aug;66(2):464S-477S
references: 9250134
references: Proc Nutr Soc. 2008 Feb;67(1):105-8
references: 18234138
references: Health Psychol. 1993 Jan;12(1):64-73
references: 8462502
references: J Nutr Educ Behav. 2002 Nov-Dec;34(6):310-5
references: 12556269
references: Int J Epidemiol. 2000 Dec;29(6):1041-6
references: 11101545
references: Int Breastfeed J. 2008 Nov 05;3:26
references: 18986539
references: J Hum Lact. 2009 Feb;25(1):34-41
references: 18971507
references: Arch Dis Child. 1993 Nov;69(5):604-8
references: 8257188
references: J Nutr. 1995 Nov;125(11):2787-92
references: 7472658
references: Arch Dis Child. 1985 Feb;60(2):173-8
references: 3883912