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pubmed:otherAbstract |
PIP: The association between infant feeding patterns and vitamin A deficiency (VAD)-associated xerophthalmia was investigated in a case-control study of 156 children, 1-6 years old, from a rural lowland region of Nepal. The 78 children with previous xerophthalmia determined on the basis of current Bitot's spots, corneal xerosis, or night blindness were matched with 78 controls on the basis of locale, age, and the presence and age of a younger sibling. The diet history method was used to elicit infant feeding practices from mothers. Frequency of consumption of 21 key foods was calculated over the 2-year period of the diet history. The analysis supported the hypothesis that infant dietary practices can influence the subsequent risk for VAD. The feeding of meat (odds ratio (OR), 0.09; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.01-0.70) or fish (OR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.17-0.99) with eggs (OR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.01-0.88) and mango (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.13-0.60) was protective in association with xerophthalmia in early childhood. In factor analysis, only the "animal flesh" feeding pattern, practiced in the second year of life, was significantly protective against xerophthalmia (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.20-0.94). These findings confirm the importance of introducing vitamin A-rich foods during weaning to reduce the risk of VAD-associated xerophthalmia in the later preschool years.
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pubmed:affiliation |
Center for Human Nutrition, School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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pubmed:publicationType |
Journal Article,
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.,
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.,
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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