Infant feeding practices and associated factors in the first six months of life: The Norwegian Infant Nutrition Survey

• Published in: Acta Paediatrica 2003-01, Vol.92 (2), p.152-161
• Main Authors: Lande, B, Andersen, LF, Bærug, A, Trygg, KU, Lund-Larsen, K, Veierød, MB, Bjørneboe, G-E Aa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Factors; Biological and medical sciences; Bottle Feeding - standards; Bottle Feeding - statistics & numerical data; Breast Feeding - statistics & numerical data; Breastfeeding; complementary feeding; Dietary Supplements - standards; Dietary Supplements - statistics & numerical data; Female; Guideline Adherence - standards; Guideline Adherence - statistics & numerical data; Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology; Humans; Infant; infant feeding; Infant Food - standards; Infant Food - statistics & numerical data; Infant, Newborn; infants; Male; Maternal Age; Medical sciences; Norway; Nutrition Surveys; Nutritional survey. Food supply and nutritional requirement; Parity; Practice Guidelines as Topic - standards; Socioeconomic Factors; solid foods; Vitamin D - standards; Vitamin D - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0803-5253; 1651-2227
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2003.tb00519.x

Aim: To describe and evaluate infant feeding practices during the first 6 mo of life in relation to recommendations, and to study infant feeding practices in relation to maternal and infant characteristics. Methods: Data from 2383 Norwegian infants aged 6 mo were collected by a self‐administered semi‐quantitative food‐frequency questionnaire measuring feeding practices at 6 mo and feeding practices retrospectively at ≤5.5 mo of age. Results: Only 1% of the infants had never been breastfed. The proportion of breastfed infants was 96% at 1 mo, 85% at 4 mo and 80% at 6 mo. The proportion of exclusively breastfed infants was 90% at 1 mo, 44% at 4 mo and 7% at 6 mo. Twenty‐one percent of the infants were introduced to solid foods before the age of 4 mo. For exclusive breastfeeding at 4 mo, breastfeeding at 6 mo and timely introduction of solid foods (not before 4 mo) significant positive trends were found for maternal age, education and degree of urbanization. Negative associations were found for maternal smoking. Furthermore, exclusive breastfeeding at 4 mo was associated with infant gender and marital status, and the odds of breastfeeding at 6 mo significantly decreased with decreasing infant birthweight. Finally, both the odds of exclusive breastfeeding at 4 mo and of breastfeeding at 6 mo increased with increasing numbers of children. Conclusion: These results indicate that a majority of Norwegian infants are fed in accordance with infant feeding recommendations during their first 6 mo of life. However, the duration of exclusive breastfeeding is shorter than recommended. Infant feeding practices are significantly associated with maternal and infant characteristics.