title: Infant feeding practices and children's weight status.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Feeding practices for young Canadian children from economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods were examined to determine adherence to infant feeding recommendations and factors associated with children's weight status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for the study were collected from 1996 to 2003 as part of Better Beginnings, Better Futures, a longitudinal primary prevention initiative in Ontario. Study subjects were 546 children at age three months and 483 children at age 48 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mothers who had less than a high school education (odds ratio [OR] = 1.83, confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-3.29) and mothers who did not attend prenatal classes (OR = 2.37, CI = 1.33-4.24) were more likely to use formula. Mothers who were single parents were three times more likely to have an obese child (OR = 3.35, CI = 1.39-8.06) than were mothers who were married or with a partner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Targeted strategies are needed for families as single-parent households were predictive of obesity in young children. Innovative encouragement to participate in prenatal programming for pregnant women who have less than a high school education may improve breastfeeding rates.
authors.affiliation: Mount Saint Vincent University.
authors.forename: Melissa D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Rossiter
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Evers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk; D009035:Mothers; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009864:Ontario; D016487:Parenting; D010349:Patient Compliance; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult