Recently there has been concern about the use of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)/World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts (developed between 1929 and 1975) with breastfed infants. A WHO working group analyzed data from seven studies of growth in breastfed infants (separately and pooled). Data were compared to the NCHS/WHO reference data. A key finding was that weight-for-age Z-scores had a downward trend beginning at two to three months and dropped to -.5 by 12 months. The important clinical implication of this work is that some breastfed infants may be growing quite normally compared to other breastfed infants, but appear to be faltering when length and weight are assessed in the clinic and plotted on the standard growth chart.
The major aim of this investigation is to compare the pattern of growth of a sub-group of infants who were completely weaned by two months with that of a sub-group exclusively breastfed four months or more. Data were collected during the postpartum hospitalization, from mother and infant hospital records, and from mothers. At 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, mothers provided detailed information about the infant's liquid and solid feedings, and about the infant's length and weight assessments made at well child visits.
Mean Z-scores for male and female infants in both feeding sub-groups will be calculated, relative to the NCHS/WHO reference data, for length-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-length (for each assessment interval). Results will be presented graphically and contrasted with results from previous studies.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe problems associated with use of the National Center for Health Statistics/World Health Organization growth reference data when assessing breastfed infants. 2. Describe differences in patterns of growth of initially breastfed infants who are completely weaned by 2 months and those who are exclusively breastfed 4 months or more
Keywords: Infant Health, Breastfeeding
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.