All issues > Volume 37(12); 1994

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1994;37(12):1643-1656. Published online December 15, 1994.

A Survey on the Present Status of Weaning

Seung Joo SJ Lee¹, Jae Ok JO Park², Chang Sung CS Sohn³, Hae Ran HR Lee⁴, Jae Hoon JH Shin⁵, Hae Il HI Chung⁶, Seung Il SI Kim⁷

¹The Nutrition Committee of Korean Pediatric Society, Ewha Medical College
²The Nutrition Committee of Korean Pediatric Society, Soonchunhyang Medical College
³The Nutrition Committee of Korean Pediatric Society,Koryo Medical College
⁴The Nutrition Committee of Korean Pediatric Society, Hanlym Medical College
⁵The Nutrition Committee of Korean Pediatric Society, Hanyang Medical College
⁶The Nutrition Committee of Korean Pediatric Society, Seoul Medical College
⁷The Nutrition Committee of Korean Pediatric Society, Catholic Medical College

Abstract

Purpose
: To add proper solid food during the ideal weaning period is very important to supply adequate nutrition for the rapid growt and to achieve proper feeding habits in later infancy. We tried to survey the problems in weaning in Korea.
Methods
: The Present status of infant weaning was sutneyed 6 university hospital in Seoul and 4 rural goverment medical offices from October 1992 to September 1993.
Results
: 1) The mean age to introduce first solid food was 5.5¡¾2.53months. The mean age was significantly delayed in breast-fed infants compared th fomula-fed infants. Mothers of higher education and higher socioeconomic status. 2) About half mothers(56.1%) introduced first books, not from medical staff. 4) First solid food given was either commercial weaning food(38.8%), fruit(28.3%), cereal(18.8%) or egg(4.3%). 5) A spoon was used to introduce first solid food in only 57.0% of infants. 6) A good response rate to first solid food was 74.9%. Abnormal responses to first solid food were diarrhea(7.8%), vomitting(3.6%), constipation(3.0%) or rash(0.2%). General response to weaning food was good in 83.2% of infants. 7) Higher educated mothers used home-prepared weaning food more often than lower educated mothers. 8)The baby's favorite weaning food were cereal(54.2%), fruit(32.4%) or egg(17.4%) ets. The baby's least liked weaning foods were cereal(4.7%), egg(4.7) or vegetable(3.6%) etc. 9) Generally, the age that weaning was completed was more delayed than normal. 10) Knowledge about weaning was not adequate.
Conclusion
: Korean mothers recognized the significance of weaning but their knowledge was inadequate. The role of the pediatrician would be very important to educate parents about the ideal time and the method to proceed with weaning.

Keywords :Weanning, Solid food, Knowlege