Poor complementary feeding practices and high anaemia prevalence among infants and young children in rural central and western China
Open Access
- 4 June 2014
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Vol. 68 (8), 916-924
- https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.98
Abstract
Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) has not been documented in central and western China, where anaemia is prevalent. To support policy advocacy, we assessed IYCF and anaemia there using standardized methods. A community-based, cross-sectional survey of 2244 children aged 6–23 months in 26 counties of 12 provinces. Analysis of associations between haemoglobin concentration (HC), IYCF indicators and other variables using crude and multivariate techniques. Only 41.6% of those surveyed consumed a minimum acceptable diet. Fewer still-breastfeeding than non-breastfeeding children consumed the recommended minimum dietary diversity (51.7 versus 71.9%; PPP<0.001). Anaemia (51.3% overall) fell with age but was significantly associated with male sex, extreme poverty, minority ethnicity, breastfeeding and higher altitude. Dietary diversity, iron intake, growth monitoring and being left behind by out-migrating parents were protective against anaemia. A structural equation model demonstrated associations between IYCF, HC and other variables. Meal frequency, iron intake and altitude were directly and positively associated with HC; dietary diversity was indirectly associated. Health service uptake was not associated. Continued breastfeeding was directly associated with poor IYCF and indirectly with reduced HC, as were having a sibling and poor maternal education. Infant and young child anaemia is highly prevalent and IYCF is poor in rural central and western China. Continued breastfeeding and certain other variables indicate risk of poor IYCF and anaemia. Major policy commitment to reducing iron deficiency and improving IYCF is needed for China’s rural poor.Keywords
This publication has 43 references indexed in Scilit:
- Breastfeeding rates in central and western China in 2010: implications for child and population healthBulletin Of The World Health Organization, 2013
- China's facility-based birth strategy and neonatal mortality: a population-based epidemiological studyThe Lancet, 2011
- Implementation of a programme to market a complementary food supplement (Ying Yang Bao) and impacts on anaemia and feeding practices in Shanxi, ChinaMaternal & Child Nutrition, 2011
- Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Infancy and Social Emotional Development in Preschool-Aged Chinese ChildrenPediatrics, 2011
- Stunting and ‘overweight’ in the WHO Child Growth Standards – malnutrition among children in a poor area of ChinaPublic Health Nutrition, 2009
- Determinants of termination of breastfeeding within the first 2 years of life in India: evidence from the National Family Health Survey‐2Maternal & Child Nutrition, 2008
- Current Status of Soil-transmitted Nematode Infection in ChinaBiomedical and Environmental Sciences, 2008
- What works? Interventions for maternal and child undernutrition and survivalThe Lancet, 2008
- The influence of high-altitude living on body ironBlood, 2005
- Marrow cell necrosis in anorexia nervosa and involuntary starvationBritish Journal of Haematology, 1985