Effects of intergenerational feeding on the growth and development of infants aged 6-36 months: A cross sectional study

Liming Chen, Jiuzhen Tian, Xiaoying Xu, Honghua Liu, Yibing Zhang

Abstract

This was an original article, mainly investigated the status and effects of intergenerational feeding of infants aged 6-36 months on their growth and development. The nutrition and development status of infants and toddlers were investigated by questionnaire. Logistic regression was employed to analyze whether intergenerational feeding was an independent factor for infant stunting and malnutrition. Three hundred and ninety-seven infants were chosen to participate in this study. The skip-generation feeding rate of infants aged 6-36 months was 29.6%. There were no significant differences in developmental quotient, low weight, emaciation, growth retardation, age-specific weight, length-specific weight, and age-specific length between the intergenerational feeding group and parental feeding group. The incidence of stunting in the skip-generation feeding group was 9.26% (10/108), higher than the parental feeding group (2.86%, 8/280) (χ2=6.172, P=0.013). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that maternal education level (P=0.034) along with skip-generation feeding (P=0.005) were the main affecting factors of developmental delay in infants aged 6~36 months. We conclude that the rate of intergenerational feeding of infants aged 6 to 36 months is about 30%, and maternal education level along with skip-generation feeding were the main affecting factors of developmental delay in infants aged 6~36 months.

Full Text:

PDF

References

Mcquade M and Carter J. U.S. Census Bureau Profile

America Facts For Features: National Grandparents

Day 2016: Sept. 11.

Wheelock J and Jones K. ‘Grandparents Are the Next Best

Thing’: Informal Childcare for Working Parents in

Urban Britain. Journal of Social Policy. 2002; 31:441

- 463.

Sampson D and Hertlein KM. The experience of

grandparents raising grandchildren. 2015:

Taguma M, Litjens I, Makowiecki K, Early QM, Taguma M

and Litjens I. Childhood Education and Care. 2012;

Xiao S. Intimate power: the intergenerational cooperation

and conflicts in childrearing among urban families in

contemporary China. The Journal of Chinese

Sociology. 2016; 3(1):1-24.

Young KG, Duncanson K andBurrows T. Influence of

grandparents on the dietary intake of their 2-12-yearold grandchildren: A systematic review. Nutr Diet.

; 75(3):291-306.

Black R. The Lancet's Series on Maternal and Child

Undernutrition.

Schwarzenberg SJ, Georgieff MK. Advocacy for

Improving Nutrition in the First 1000 Days to Support

Childhood Development and Adult Health. Pediatrics.

; 141(2)

Grantham-McGregor S, Cheung YB, Cueto S, Glewwe P,

Richter L and Strupp B. Developmental potential in

the first 5 years for children in developing countries.

Lancet. 2007; 369(9555):60-70.

Parker LA, Desorcy-Scherer K and Magalh„es M. Feeding

Strategies in Preterm Very Low Birth-Weight Infants:

State-of-the-Science Review. Adv Neonatal Care.

; 21(6):493-502.

Li HH, Feng JY, Wang B, Zhang Y, Wang CX and Jia FY.

Comparison Of The Children Neuropsychological

And Behavior Scale And The Griffiths Mental

Development Scales When Assessing The

Development Of Children With Autism. Psychology

research and behavior management. 2019; 12:973-

FustiÒana CA, RodrÌguez D and Mariani G. Post discharge

growth assessment in preterm infants: implications of

adopting the WHO standards. Arch Argent Pediatr.

; 112(2):141-6.

Schrijner S, Smits J. Grandparents and Children's

stunting in sub-Saharan Africa. Soc Sci Med. 2018;

:90-98.

Farrow C. A comparison between the feeding practices of

parents and grandparents. Eat Behav. 2014;

(3):339-42.

Leroy JL, Ruel M, Habicht JP and Frongillo EA. Linear

growth deficit continues to accumulate beyond the

first 1000 days in low- and middle-income countries:

global evidence from 51 national surveys. J Nutr.

; 144(9):1460-6.

Aubel J. The role and influence of grandmothers on child

nutrition: culturally designated advisors and

caregivers. Matern Child Nutr. 2012; 8(1):19-35.

Li H, Hiilamo H, Zhu YD and Lin K. Exploring the

association between grandparental care and child

development: Evidence from China. Health Soc Care

Community. 2022; 30(6):e4122-e4132.

Zhao J, Yu Z, Sun X, Wu S, Zhang J, Zhang D, Zhang Y

and Jiang F. Association Between Screen Time

Trajectory and Early Childhood Development in

Children in China. JAMA Pediatr. 2022; 176(8):768-

PulgarÛn ER, PatiÒo-Fern·ndez AM, Sanchez J, Carrillo A

and Delamater AM. Hispanic children and the obesity

epidemic: exploring the role of abuelas. Fam Syst

Health. 2013; 31(3):274-9.

Nanthamongkolchai S, Munsawaengsub C and

Nanthamongkolchai C. Influence of child rearing by

grandparent on the development of children aged six

to twelve years. J Med Assoc Thai. 2009; 92(3):430-

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.