GROWTH-PATTERNS OF BREAST-FED INFANTS IN AFFLUENT (UNITED-STATES) AND POOR (PERU) COMMUNITIES - IMPLICATIONS FOR TIMING OF COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING

We compared growth, dietary intake, and morbidity of infants breast-fed for greater-than-or-equal-to 12 mo from two populations: Davis, CA (n = 46) and Huascar, Peru (n = 52). When compared against WHO reference data (based primarily on formulated infants), Huascar infants appeared to falter as early as 3-4 mo, but when compared with Davis breast-fed infants, the curves for weight and length were very similar in girls until 10-12 mo and in boys until 6-9 mo. Thereafter, Huascar infants grew less rapidly than did Davis infants. Breast milk intake was very similar between groups, but in Huascar the amount and nutrient density of complementary foods consumed after 6 mo were lower and morbidity rates were much higher than in Davis. These results indicate that growth faltering of Huascar infants, when judged against breast-fed infants in the United States, occurs primarily after the first 6 mo of life and is not due to poor lactation performance.