The relationship between feeding patterns and growth of infants up to 6 months

Background: Proper growth is one of the most reliable criteria for assessing the health status of infants. Nutrition is one of the factors affecting infant growth.

Objectives: To determine the relationship between the pattern of nutrition and growth of infants up to 6 months of age.

Method: A cohort study was conducted on 210 infants ranging from 3-5 days old to 2 months old from July 2016 to August 2017. Data were collected by using a demographic collective form, and measurement of growth indices from 2 to 6 months in three food patterns. Data analysis was done using ANOVA, repeated measures, Chi-square, Pearson correlation coefficient by SPSS software version 18. 

Results: The results showed that infants fed breast milk or mixed feeding were heavier and taller at 2, 4 months old than infants fed formula. There was no significant difference in 6 month variation in weight in all three dietary patterns (p= 0.405). These changes were significant in the case of height (p<0.001) and were higher in formula feeding group. No significant difference was found in the mean head circumference from 2 to 6 months and its changes during 6 months in all three dietary patterns.

Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that exclusive breastfeeding and mixed feeding patterns in comparison with formula feeding can have more favourable effect on the growth of weight and height in infants between the ages of 2-4 months.

Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2020; 49(2): 132-139