Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1995

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Human Ecology

Major Professor

Betty Ruth Carruth

Committee Members

Jean Skinner, Mark Hector, Jan Allen

Abstract

This study was designed to address some of the issues related to infant feeding practices and beliefs of Asian Indian Americans residing in Knoxville, Tennessee and to compare these findings to a cohort group of Anglo American mothers. This involved three major areas: infant feeding practices, mothers sources of information and beliefs about infant feeding practices, and the dietary adequacy and growth patterns of the infants.

Results of this study indicated that all Anglo American (n=25) compared to fewer Asian Indian American mothers (n=19) initiated breast-feeding immediately following birth of the baby. Anglo American mothers breast-fed their infants for a longer duration than Asian Indian American mothers. When formula was added to the diet, Anglo American infants were significantly older (3.2 ± 1.3 months) than Asian Indian American infants (2.8 ± 1.5 months, P≤0.05). When solid foods. were introduced, Anglo American infants were significantly older (4.2 ± 1.5 months) compared to Asian Indian American infants (3.1 1.3 months; P≤0.05).

Throughout the first year of life of Anglo American infants, mothers relied primarily upon health professionals for information about feeding. In contrast, Asian Indian American mothers sought information primarily from the family network in the first six months and relied more on health professionals in the second six months of the infant's life. Anglo American and Asian Indian American mothers differed in cultural beliefs involving: prelacteal feeds, infant feeding and health,association of infant feeding and physiological maturity, and relationship between infant feeding and sleep patterns.

In the first and second six months, the diets of Anglo American and Asian Indian American infants exceeded 100% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances. Throughout the first 12 months, Asian Indian American infants had a significantly higher intake of calories and fat than Anglo American infants (P<0.05).

Based on anthropometric means, infants in the two ethnic groups were growing and developing normally. At nine and 12 months, Asian Indian American infants weighed more than Anglo American infants (P≤0.05). At nine months, Anglo American infants' mean length was greater than that of Asian Indian American infants (P<0.05). Throughout the first 12 months, the mean head circumference of Anglo American and Asian Indian American infants were not significantly different (P<0.05), During the first 12 months of life, cumulative weight gain differed significantly (P<0.05) between Anglo American and AsianIndian American infants. Cumulative length gain and cumulative head circumference gain did not differ significantly between the two groups of infants.At nine months, there was a significant difference in the body mass index between the two groups of infants (P<0.05).

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