Poor nutrition from first foods: a cross-sectional study of complementary feeding of infants and young children in six remote Aboriginal communities across northern Australia
Leonard, Dympna, Aquino, Danielle, Hadgraft, Nyssa, Thompson, Fintan, and Marley, Julia V. (2017) Poor nutrition from first foods: a cross-sectional study of complementary feeding of infants and young children in six remote Aboriginal communities across northern Australia. Nutrition and Dietetics, 74 (5). pp. 436-445.
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Abstract
Aim: To describe the first foods of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants and young children who were recruited to a nutrition promotion and anaemia prevention program conducted from 2010 to 2012, in six remote communities across northern Australia.
Methods: Food records (24-hour diet history, food variety checklist) were completed on recruitment by interview with a parent or carer. Cross-sectional analysis assessed the proportion of participants consuming recommended and not-recommended foods and drinks and meeting recommendations for meal frequency and dietary diversity.
Results: Of 245 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants aged 6-24 months, 227 (92.7%) had a recruitment food record. On the previous day, most (67.4%) had breastmilk, nearly all (98.2%) ate solid food, but only 13% ate fruit, 33% had neither fruit nor vegetables, and 25% had sweet drinks. Children living in smaller households (3-5 people) were more likely to meet the criteria for frequency of meals than those living in larger households of 12-31 people (93% vs 78%, P = 0.012 for trend over household size). Only 30% met the criteria for dietary diversity. Where information was available (n = 91), dietary diversity was adequate more often in pay week' compared to not pay week' (31.3% vs 9.3%, P = 0.007).
Conclusion: Support for current beneficial breast-feeding practices and promotion of nutrient-dense complementary foods, need to be embedded in initiatives for improved family food security. Good nutrition in early life can reduce the disparity in health, education and economic status between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians.
| Item ID: | 51722 |
|---|---|
| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 1747-0080 |
| Keywords: | Aboriginal, child, complementary feeding, dietary intake, infant |
| Funders: | Fred Hollows Foundation, Australian Government Department of Healthand Aging Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, Rural Clinical School of Western Australia and Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services, Apunipima Cape York Health Services, NT Department of Health, Sunrise Health Service, Queensland Health Tropical Public Health Services, James Cook University, Boab Health Service |
| Date Deposited: | 06 Dec 2017 07:39 |
| FoR Codes: | 32 BIOMEDICAL AND CLINICAL SCIENCES > 3210 Nutrition and dietetics > 321005 Public health nutrition @ 25% 45 INDIGENOUS STUDIES > 4504 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing > 450403 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child health and wellbeing @ 50% 42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4206 Public health > 420605 Preventative health care @ 25% |
| SEO Codes: | 92 HEALTH > 9203 Indigenous Health > 920301 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - Determinants of Health @ 50% 92 HEALTH > 9204 Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health) > 920411 Nutrition @ 50% |
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