All issues > Volume 52(8); 2009

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2009;52(8):875-880. Published online August 15, 2009.

A study on the incidence of anemia according to feeding patterns and the status of weaning diet

Hyun Ji HJ Kim¹, Mee Yong MY Shin¹, Sung Shin SS Kim¹, Jae Ock JO Park¹, Chang Hwi CH Kim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
Iron-deficiency anemia remains the most common nutritional deficiency in young infants. This study aimed to survey the actual condition of feeding patterns and weaning diet and to study the association between these factors and the prevalence of anemia in infants aged over 9 months.
Methods
We studied 171 infants aged 9-24 months who were hospitalized in the general ward with mild to moderate acute illnesses. The mothers answered a questionnaire about the feeding patterns and the status of the weaning diet of their infants. The infants were divided into three groups: infants who were exclusively breast-fed, those who had been given mixed feeding, and artificial milk feeders.
Results
The incidence of anemia was significantly higher in exclusively breast-fed infants (23/68, 33.8%) than in the infants with mixed feeding (11/62, 17.7%) and artificial milk feeders (5/41, 12.1%). The mothers‘ awareness about the state of their infants weaning diet was not related to the presence of anemia in the exclusively breast-fed infants. About 70% of the infants had started the weaning diet before age 6 months in all three groups, without any difference according to feeding patterns.
Conclusion
The incidence of anemia was significantly higher in the breast-fed group than in the other infants. Many mothers of breast-fed infants with anemia also believed that their infants were taking sufficient weaning foods. Therefore, further education of the mothers about iron-rich weaning foods and the importance of iron intake during infancy is needed to prevent anemia, especially in breast-fed infants.

Keywords :Anemia, Feeding pattern, Infant