Using Infant and Child Feeding Index and Its Components to Assess Infant Feeding Practices and Risk of Anemia among 6–12-Month-Old Thai Infants
Abstract
Objective: To examine the feeding practices among the mothers of 6-12-month-old infants using Infant and Child Feeding Index (ICFI) scores and to determine which components in the ICFI were associated with anemic infants.
Material and Methods: One hundred nineteen healthy term infants aged 6-12 months were recruited from November 2020 to December 2021. Infant feeding practices of the mothers were assessed using a 24-hour food record to collect which foods the infants consumed before the scheduled visit, and food group frequencies during the previous week. The food intakes of the infant were categorized into seven food groups and ICFI scores were calculated. Each infant had their weight and length measured, and a complete blood count was performed to assess anemia.
Results: The number of food groups was significantly higher in the 9-12-month-old infants than in the 6-9-month-old infants (5 vs 4, respectively, p-value<0.01) and also the ICFI scores (6 vs. 5, respectively, p-value<0.01). Anemia was found in 35 infants (29.4%) and was significantly higher in infants who were mainly breastfed, who were given complementary meals with dietary diversity <4 food groups, and who had an ICFI score <5. However, multivariate logistic regression found that the only significant factors associated with anemia were mainly breastfed (adjusted odds ratio 3.15, p-value<0.001) and dietary diversity <4 food groups (adjusted odds ratio 3.94, p-value=0.01).
Conclusion: Infants older than 6 months should be mainly breastfed with 3-4 complementary meals with at least 4 food groups daily to prevent anemia from iron deficiency.
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