Associations between Cultural Identity, Household Membership and Diet Quality among Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Filipino Infants in Hawaiʻi

Public health efforts to reduce diet-related health disparities experienced by indigenous peoples could be enhanced by efforts to improve complementary infant feeding practices. The latter is possible through interventions informed by cultural determinants. This cross-sectional secondary analysis explored possible determinants of the complementary feeding practices of Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and/or Filipino infants (NHPIF) in Hawaiʻi, ages 3–12 months. The objective was to determine the association between caregiver cultural identity and infant household membership with indicators of infant diet healthfulness. The cultural identities, infant household memberships, early infant feeding practices and additional demographic information (infant age and sex, household income) were assessed via an online questionnaire. Surrogate reporting of the infants’ diets over four days was evaluated using an image-based mobile food record (mFR). Data collected by the mFR were evaluated to derive the World Health Organization’s minimum dietary diversity (MDD) indicator and food group consumption. Data were summarized by descriptive statistics and analyzed using multivariate linear and logistic regressions. Seventy infant participants, ages 3–12 months, and their primary caregivers completed the study. Of these, there were 56 infant participants between the age of 6–12 months. Approximately 10% of infants, ages 6–12 months, met MDD for all four days. Meeting MDD and the number of food groups consumed were significantly associated with age. Caregiver cultural identity, infant household membership and infant sex had non-significant associations with indicators of infant diet quality. Findings inform the influences shaping dietary patterns of Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Filipino infants in Hawaiʻi.

Weaning among Colonists from Montreal and Environs

This paleochemical study explores the differences and similarities in weaning practices between two colonist populations buried in Montreal and its environs: the rural village cemetery of Pointe-aux-Trembles (PT, 1709–1843) and the urban Notre-Dame cemetery (ND, 1691–1796). Forty-six teeth (or individuals) were microsampled in both crown and root parts of the dentine (one to four and four to six sampling sites for deciduous and permanent teeth, respectively), totaling 56 microsamples for PT (seven M1, seven m1, and three m2) and 102 for ND (22 M1 and seven m1). For both sites, a general decrease of 1.3‰ in δ15N (ranging from 0.5‰ to 2.6‰) was observed between the first and last samples for permanent teeth (PT: five out of seven individuals; ND: 14 out of 22), and weaning seems to end around 2 years of age. As expected, in both parishes, weaning was mainly gradual (80%: PT; 86%: ND). An introduction of complementary food was also identified after 6 months of age (73%: PT; 81%: ND). The variation in δ15N profiles suggested other scenarios such as introduction of complementary foods just after birth (four PT and four ND), absence of breastfeeding (three PT and nine ND), and abrupt weaning (three ND). Environmental and socioeconomic factors might explain these individual variations, as infant feeding practices might have changed over time in these two growing and closely related parishes. Cette étude paléochimique explore les différences et les similitudes dans les pratiques de sevrage entre deux populations de colons enterrées à Montréal et ses environs : le cimetière rural du village de Pointe-aux-Trembles (PT, 1709–1843) et le cimetière urbain de Notre-Dame (ND, 1691–1796). Quarante-six dents (ou individus) ont été micro-échantillonnées dans la dentine de la couronne et des racines (1 à 4 et 4 à 6 sites d'échantillonnage pour les dents de lait et les dents permanentes respectivement), totalisant 56 micro-échantillons pour PT (7 M1, 7 m1 et 3 m2) et 102 pour ND (22 M1 et 7 m1). Pour les deux sites, une diminution du d 15N d’une moyenne de 1,3‰ (allant de 0,5 à 2,6‰) a été observé entre le premier et le dernier micro-échantillon pour les dents permanentes (PT : 5 sur 7 individus ; ND : 14 sur 22), et le sevrage semble se terminer vers l'âge de deux ans. Comme attendu, dans les deux paroisses, le sevrage a été principalement progressif (80 % : PT ; 86 % : ND). Une introduction d'aliments complémentaires a également été identifiée après l'âge de six mois (73 % : PT ; 81 % : ND). La variation des profils des valeurs de δ15N permet également de suggérer d'autres scénarios tels que : l'introduction d'aliments complémentaires juste après la naissance (4 PT et 4 ND), l'absence d'allaitement (3 PT et 9 ND) et un sevrage abrupt (3 ND). Des facteurs environnementaux et socio-économiques pourraient expliquer ces variations individuelles, car les pratiques d'alimentation des nourrissons pourraient avoir changé au fil du temps dans ces deux paroisses en pleine croissance et étroitement liées.

Infant Feeding Practices and Analysis Of Factors Affecting Exclusive Breastfeeding

<p>The coverage rate of exclusive breastfeeding in Indonesia is still low despite its ability to affect a baby's health status and ability to survive. In 2017, only 35.73% of babies in Indonesia received exclusive breastfeeding for up to 6 months. This study aims to determine infant feeding practices and identify the factors that influence the practice of exclusive breastfeeding in Yogyakarta. This is a descriptive analysis study with a cross-sectional approach. The instruments that have been used in this study were the demographic data questionnaire, the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) questionnaire, and the Breastfeeding Self Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF) questionnaire. A total of 421 mothers were involved in this study and the research was conducted between June 2019 to April 2020 in Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Correlation data analysis was performed using chi-square and point biserial correlation and the multivariate analysis used logistic regression. Infant feeding practice was high with 82.4% of infants receiving exclusive breastfeeding. It was found that employment status, knowledge, mothers’ attitudes, and self-efficacy about breastfeeding have significant correlations with exclusive breastfeeding. Employment status, knowledge, mothers’ attitudes, and self-efficacy about breastfeeding are factors that can encourage exclusive breastfeeding. <strong></strong></p>