Abstract: Background: The relationship between food preference in early childhood and prenatal exposure to flavor in the amniotic fluid is well documented. Although its association with flavor transmission in the breast milk has also been noted, it is poorly reported in this country.

Objective: The present study aims to determine the relationship between mothers’ dietary exposure during exclusive breastfeeding and food preference in their preschool-aged children.

Methods: Two hundred and twenty (220) mother-child dyads who met the study criteria were enrolled. A pre-tested, structured questionnaire was administered to the mothers. The relationship between maternal consumption of flour-based snacks and staple foods during exclusive breastfeeding and the child’s preference for these foods was determined using risk estimates. After controlling for potential confounders, logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis. Statistical significance was determined at p < 0.05 and all the risk estimates were presented as odds ratios (OR) at 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: The relationship between daily maternal exposure to staple foods during exclusive breastfeeding and the children’s preference for this variety of food was not statistically significant (p = 0.847, OR= 1.083, 95% CI = 0.481-2.437). However, the children’s preference for flour-based snacks was significantly related to weekly or fourth-nightly maternal exposure to similar diet during exclusive breast feeding (p = 0.035, OR = 2.405, 95% C.I = 1.064 - 5.435).

Conclusion: Transmission of flavor in the breast milk may contribute in shaping children’s feeding behavior early in life.

Keywords: Food preference, maternal diet, flavors, feeding behavior, preschoolers.

Download

Abstract: Objectives: To examine the association of maternal GDM with 1) child BMI z-score at preschool; 2) breastfeeding initiation and duration, while adjusting for child birthweight in addition to potential confounders.

Method: Sample included 53 children (3 - 5 years old) recruited from two preschools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Mothers completed a self-administered questionnaire. Child anthropometry was completed using standardized procedures. BMI z-scores were calculated using the WHO standards/reference data. Linear regression models were tested to examine the association between maternal GDM and child BMI z-score, as well as breastfeeding duration. Logistic regression models were tested to examine the association between maternal GDM and breastfeeding initiation. Models were adjusted for child birthweight, maternal BMI, and maternal age at pregnancy.

Results: Mean child BMI z-score was 1.10 (SD= 1.22). About one quarter (24.5%) of mothers reported being diagnosed with GDM. Mean birthweight of children whose mothers were diagnosed with GDM was 3.10 kg (SD= 0.74). Adjusting for covariates, we found that maternal GDM was associated with increased child BMI z-score (B= 1.04, 95% CI= 0.14 - 1.94, P-value= 0.02), and lower odds of breastfeeding initiation (OR= 0.10, 95% CI= 0.02 – 0.49, P-value= 0.005). Maternal GDM was not associated with breastfeeding duration (B= -4.75, 95% CI: -11.79 – 2.29, P-value= 0.18).

Conclusion: Findings suggest that maternal GDM is associated with higher child BMI z-score at preschool and lower likelihood of breastfeeding initiation. Studies are needed in order to identify the underlying mechanisms of associations. Obesity prevention programs may target children whose mothers were diagnosed with GDM; prenatal breastfeeding counseling may be offered.

Keywords:  Gestational diabetes, Breastfeeding, BMI z-score, Preschool.

Download

Abstract: Mothers as caregivers exert strong influence over child feeding and caring practices. Maternal employment may influence child caring practices thus affecting the child’s nutritional status. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of maternal employment status, on child caring practices and the nutritional status of children under-5 in Savelugu, Northern Ghana. This was a cross-sectional survey involving 400 mothers and their children under-5 years old. Data collection took place between February and May, 2013 through a house-to-house visit using a structured questionnaire designed for the study. Information collected included employment status, occupation type and mothers working hours away from home, feeding and caring practices and anthropometric measurements of their children. About 85.8% of respondents were employed. Together farmers and traders made approximately 76% of the respondents. Approximately 55% of Mothers had at least primary education. Around 85.1% of the employed mothers look after their children whiles carrying out their daily work. Employed mothers spent between 5 to 6 hours/day away from home without their children but unemployed mothers were mostly with their children. Occupation status has a significant effect on child caring practices with those unemployed being better (P<0.05). About 72.0% and 70.3% respectively of unemployed and employed mothers indicated they introduced complementary feeding at 6months. Child caring practices were better among unemployed mothers compared to employed mothers among the study population. Stunting and wasting rates were high among children of both employed and unemployed mothers.

Keywords: Stunting, northern Ghana, maternal employment, and feeding practices.

Abstract:  Child undernutrition and stunting remain serious public health problems in Indonesia. According to the Health Belief Model, increasing mothers’ knowledge of stunting is fundamental to establishing accurate threat perceptions predictive of behavior change. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of factors related to maternal knowledge of stunting in Indonesia by addressing three questions: 1) How familiar with stunting are Indonesian mothers? 2) What antecedent factors do Indonesian mothers associate with stunting? and 3) What health effects do Indonesian mothers associate with stunting? A total of 3,150 mothers participated in structured face-to-face interviews. Study measures targeted four main variables. Mothers were asked: 1) Have you heard of stunting?; 2) Have you heard of shortness?; 3) What causes stunting/shortness?; and 4) What are the effects of stunting? Only 66 (2.1%) mothers reported having heard of, read about, or knew something about stunting. Approximately two-thirds of participants attributed stunting to hereditary factors. Interrupted growth (33.7%), idiocy (13.8%), and easy to get sick (11.8%) were identified as health effects of stunting. Results highlight the need for health promotion and education efforts focused on increasing basic knowledge of stunting, its causes, and its health effects among Indonesian mothers.

Keywords:  Stunting, knowledge, childhood nutrition, Indonesia, Health Belief Model.

Download