Early feeding practices and the nutrition status of preschool children in rural Hubei Province, China

A nutrition surveillance survey was conducted in four poor rural counties, that included 25 villages and 3564 children. Data were collected through interviews, anthropometric measurements, analysis of haemoglobin values, and physical examinations. The children's anthropometric measurements were comparable to international standards for the first months of life, and then weight-for-age and height-for-age Z scores deviated negatively. Physical examinations suggested that several micronutrient deficiencies might be present. The data also indicated that during a time of sweeping economic changes and expanded health care availability, breast-feeding was maintained, food was introduced into the diets of children at younger ages, and acute malnutrition was not common. -from Authors