Characterization of the alimentary pattern in children younger than one year old

Abstract

Worldwide it is estimated that 34.8% of the infants receive breastfeeding exclusively (LME) during the first six months of life and the supplementary food are introduced too early or too late and are general nutritionally inadequate and insecure. Characterization of the alimentary pattern in children younger than one year old on the base of the mother’s knowledge of the outpatients that come to the National Hospital of Chiquimula. The optimum LME could prevent, worldwide the 13% of deaths in children younger than 5 years old and appropriate supplementary feeding practices could have additional benefit of 6% in the reduction of mortality in children younger than 5 years old. Descriptive cross-sectional study, where verbally polled 288 mothers of children under one year old, that went to external consultations of the National Hospital of Chiquimula. Of 288 children younger than one year old, 200 (69.4%) got LME: 150 (68.8%) of the group of 6 months or younger and 50 (71.4%) of the group of 7 months to 12 months in the moment of the survey. The main reason why it wasn’t fulfilled the LME was a 30.6% for little or no milk production. The age of the beginning of the supplementary feeding was at six months with 55.05% and the main feeding group used for the ablation were tubercles with 77.1%.