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Infant dietary patterns associated with maternal ethnicity, education level
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Dietary patterns among infants not only vary by maternal race/ethnicity and education, but also influence infant growth in various ways, according to study findings published in Pediatrics.
Xiaozhong Wen, MD, PhD, of State University of New York at Buffalo, and colleagues analyzed data from a subsample of the Infant Feeding Practices Study II, a longitudinal pre-birth cohort study conducted by the FDA and CDC from 2005 to 2007. The current study cohort consisted of 3,030 newborns. In monthly surveys at ages 3 to 10.5 months and 12 months, mothers reported their child’s intake of 18 types of food during the previous 7 days. Infant weight and length were reported at 3-month, 5-month, 7-month and 12-month surveys.
Four dietary patterns were derived from study participants’ intake of 18 food types and based on foods in each pattern: high sugar/fat/protein, infant guideline solids, formula and high dairy/regular cereal.
Children with a high score on high sugar/fat/protein dietary pattern when aged 12 months were more likely to have low household income, a mother of non-Hispanic African American race/ethnicity, and a low education level.
A high score on the infant guideline solids dietary pattern at age 12 months was associated with high household income, maternal non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity and high education.
A high score on the formula/baby cereal dietary pattern when aged 12 months was associated with infant enrollment in the Women, Infants and Children program (WIC), maternal older age, Asian/Pacific Islander race/ethnicity, first childbirth and low gestational weight gain.
High scores on the high dairy dietary pattern at age 12 months were associated with lower birth weight, delivery methods other than vaginal non-induced, maternal non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity, low education, unemployment and obesity.
High sugar/fat/protein and high dairy/regular cereal dietary patterns at age 6 months correlated with a smaller increase in length-for-age z scores and a greater increase in BMI z score from age 6 to 12 months.
At age 6 months, the formula dietary pattern was associated with a greater increase in BMI z score from age 6 to 12 months, though researchers reported it was not associated with a change in length-for-age z score.
There was no association between the infant guideline solids pattern and changes in length-for-age z score or BMI z score from age 6 to 12 months.
“Dietary patterns varied considerably by sociodemographics, especially maternal education and race/ethnicity. Although existing evidence is insufficient for us to make a solid recommendation on optimal dietary patterns for US infants, a combination of prolonged breastfeeding and gradual introduction of ‘infant guideline solids’ (vegetables, fruits, baby cereal, and meat) can be a promising candidate of healthy dietary pattern for infants after 6 months of age based on our analysis and others,” the researchers concluded.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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