Patterns of milk and food intake in infants from birth to age 36 months: the Euro-growth study

Abstract

Background: Little detailed information is available on feeding practices of infants in Europe. The Euro-Growth Study is a longitudinal, observational, multicenter study of milk feeding, the introduction of complementary solid foods, and vitamin and mineral supplementation. Current practice is compared with international feeding recommendations. Method: Healthy term infants (n = 2245) were recruited at birth or during the first month of life. Dietary records were completed at the ages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months by semiquantitative dietary recall. Results: At the age of 1 month, 52% of the infants were exclusively breast fed and 26% were exclusively formula fed. At the age of 9 months, 18% of infants were fed only cow's milk. At the ages of 3, 4, and 5 months, 50%, 67%, and 95% of infants were fed solid foods, respectively. Conclusions: Feeding practices vary considerably throughout Europe. High rates of breast-feeding initiation are found in Umea, Sweden, and in Athens, Greece; and low rates in Dublin, Ireland, in Toulouse, France, and in Glasgow, United Kingdom. The use of cow's milk as the main milk drink before the age of 12 months is still common in certain European center