Shuo Wang1, Yue Mei1, Zhong Hua Ma1, Wen Hua Zhao2, Xue Jun Tang3, Xue Hong Pang2, Qian Zhang2, Rui Li Li4, Yu Ying Wang2, Tao Xu1. 1. National Center for Women and Children's Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100081, China. 2. National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China. 3. Statistical Information Center, National Health Commission of People's Republic of China, Beijing 100044, China. 4. Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing 100020, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to understand the characteristics of dietary patterns among children aged 12 to 23 months and discusses the relationship between dietary patterns and the growth of children. METHOD: Cross-sectional data were selected from the National Nutrition and Health Systematic Survey for 0 to 18 year-old children in China ( n = 2,449) to describe the patterns of complementary feeding and the growth of children. Cluster analysis was used to analyze complementary feeding patterns, and an analysis of variance and Bonferroni test were conducted to analyze the relationship between Z scores and complementary feeding patterns. RESULTS: Four dietary patterns were identified among the children via cluster analysis. In Pattern 4 ( n = 104, 4.2%), children still consumed milk as their staple food. They displayed the lowest grain, fruit, vegetable, egg, and flesh foods consumption, a medium frequency of breast milk consumption, and a high frequency of dairy product consumption. Pattern 4 had the lowest length-for-age Z scores and weight-for-age Z scores, with -0.10 ± 1.34 and 0.24 ± 1.00, respectively ( F = 7.940, P < 0.001; F = 5.317, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although China is undergoing rapid urbanization and economic development, there is still a phenomenon of insufficient intake of protein-rich foods and dairy-based dietary patterns at the stage of complementary food introduced among children aged 12 to 23 months.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to understand the characteristics of dietary patterns among children aged 12 to 23 months and discusses the relationship between dietary patterns and the growth of children. METHOD: Cross-sectional data were selected from the National Nutrition and Health Systematic Survey for 0 to 18 year-old children in China ( n = 2,449) to describe the patterns of complementary feeding and the growth of children. Cluster analysis was used to analyze complementary feeding patterns, and an analysis of variance and Bonferroni test were conducted to analyze the relationship between Z scores and complementary feeding patterns. RESULTS: Four dietary patterns were identified among the children via cluster analysis. In Pattern 4 ( n = 104, 4.2%), children still consumed milk as their staple food. They displayed the lowest grain, fruit, vegetable, egg, and flesh foods consumption, a medium frequency of breast milk consumption, and a high frequency of dairy product consumption. Pattern 4 had the lowest length-for-age Z scores and weight-for-age Z scores, with -0.10 ± 1.34 and 0.24 ± 1.00, respectively ( F = 7.940, P < 0.001; F = 5.317, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although China is undergoing rapid urbanization and economic development, there is still a phenomenon of insufficient intake of protein-rich foods and dairy-based dietary patterns at the stage of complementary food introduced among children aged 12 to 23 months.