Breast feeding: physical growth during infancy

• DOI: 10.1007/bf02754723
• Publication Date: 2007-11-24T11:12:47Z
• Authors: S. Kumari; P. K. Pruthi; R. Mehra; H. Sehgal
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 03 medical and health sciences; Breast Feeding; Child Development; 0302 clinical medicine; Body Weight; Humans; Infant; Nutrition Disorders

Five hundred and seventyfour infants between 1 and 12 months of age who were exclusively breast fed after normal hospital birth, were studied for physical growth in weight, length and head circumference. The study group infants registered lower mean weight and length throughout the first year, but marked faltering in growth was observed in weight at 4 months and in length at 7 months of age. Comparison with growth of high income group infants from Delhi shows that the study infants lagged behind in weight at 3 months and in length at 6 months of age. These findings suggest inadequacy of mother’s milk beyond 4 months of age. Hence for prevention of malnutrition, introduction of weaning foods should be encouraged by 4 to 6 months of infant’s life.