All issues > Volume 52(10); 2009

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2009;52(10):1090-1102. Published online October 15, 2009.

Current feeding practices and maternal nutritional knowledge on complementary feeding in Korea

Hye Won HW Yom¹, Jeong Wan JW Seo², Hyesook Hs Park³, Kwang Hae KH Choi⁴, Ju Young JY Chang⁵, Eell E Ryoo⁶, Hye Ran HR Yang⁷, Jae Young JY Kim⁸, Ji Hyun JH Seo⁹, Yong Joo YJ Kim¹⁰, Kyung Rye KR Moon¹¹, Ki Soo KS Kang¹², Kie Young KY Park¹³, Seong Soo SS Lee¹⁴, Jeong Ok JO Shim¹⁵

¹Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Department of Pediatrics, Seoul Metropolitan Dong-bu Hospital, Seoul, Korea
²Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
³Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Departments of Preventive Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
⁴Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Department of Pediatrics, Youngnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
⁵Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul Metropolitan Boramae Hospital, Seoul, Korea
⁶Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Department of Pediatrics, Gachon University, Gil Hospital, Incheon, Korea
⁷Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea
⁸Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Department of Pediatrics, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
⁹Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Department of Pediatrics, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea
¹⁰Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
¹¹Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Department of Pediatrics, Chosun University School of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea
¹²Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Department of Pediatrics, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea
¹³Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Department of Pediatrics, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Gangneung Asan Hospital, Gangneung, Korea
¹⁴Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Department of Pediatrics, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Chuncheon, Korae
¹⁵Committee on Nutrition Korean Pediatric Society; Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea

Correspondence Jeong Wan JW Seo ,Email: jwseo@ewha.ac.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: To evaluate current feeding practices and maternal nutritional knowledge on complementary feeding.
Methods
Mothers of babies aged 9-15 months who visited pediatric clinics of 14 general hospitals between September and December 2008 were asked to fill questionnaires. Data from 1,078 questionnaires were analyzed.
Results
: Complementary food was introduced at 4-7 months in 89% of babies. Home-made rice gruel was the first complementary food in 93% cases. Spoons were used for initial feeding in 97% cases. At 6-7 months, <50% of babies were fed meat (beef, 43%). Less than 12–month-old babies were fed salty foods such as salted laver (35%) or bean-paste soup (51%) and cow's milk (11%). The following were the maternal sources of information on complementary feeding: books/ magazines (58%), friends (30%), internet web sites (29%), relatives (14%), and hospitals (4%). Compared to the 1993 survey, the incidence of complementary food introduction before 4 months (0.4% vs. 21%) and initial use of commercial food (7% vs. 39%) had decreased. Moreover, spoons were increasingly used for initial feeding (97% vs. 57%). The average maternal nutritional knowledge score was 7.5/10. Less percentage of mothers agreed with the following suggestions: bottle formula weaning before 15-18 months (68%), no commercial baby drinks as complementary food (67%), considering formula (or cow's milk) better than soy milk (65%), and feeding minced meat from 6-7 months (57%).
Conclusion
: Complementary feeding practices have considerably improved since the last decade. Pediatricians should advise timely introduction of appropriate complementary foods and monitor diverse information sources on complementary feeding.

Keywords :Complementary feeding, Complementary foods, Weaning