[Study on dietary patterns and its effect on infant health among left-behind children aged 1-4 years old with both parents working out in rural Anhui].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate dietary patterns of left-behind children aged 1-4 years old with both parents working out in rural Anhui, and to examine the relationship between dietary patterns and infant health.

METHODS

In total, 424 left-behind children aged 1-4 years old were selected from 12 villages in 2 counties of Anhui province, 212 were both parents working out and 212 were both parents not working out. Infant dietary patterns were evaluated by a self-developed questionnaire, the reliability and validity were also assessed. Physical development, peripheral blood hemoglobin, traces elements of zinc, urinary iodine, infant neuropsychological development were evaluated.

RESULTS

Infant dietary patterns in rural areas could be divided into 4 types, traditional type, animal protein-based type, nutrition-based type and beverage-based type. The prevalence of high score of nutrition type and animal protein-based type of infant dietary patterns in left-behind children were significant lower than those in control group. The prevalence of malnutrition, nutritional anemia, zinc deficiency, iodine deficiency in left-behind children with both parents working out were higher than those of control group (4.7%, 19.8%, 46.2%, 21.7% vs 0.9%, 8.5%, 34.4% and 12.7%) (P < 0.05). The prevalence of mental retardation and mental edge were significant higher in left-behind children than those of control group (3.8%, 20.8 vs 1.9%, 10.4%). Among left-behind children aged 1-4 years old with both parents working out in rural area, the prevalence of malnutrition was higher in infant with low score of traditional type dietary, the prevalence of obesity was higher in infant with high score of traditional type dietary (chi2 = 18.725, P = 0.002). The prevalence of nutritional anemia, zinc deficiency, mental retardation and mental edge were higher in infant with low scores of animal protein-based type and nutrition-based type dietary (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The feeding patterns of left-behind children aged 1-4 years old with both parents working out in rural were different to those with both parents not working out. Infant nutrition status was significantly associated with the intake frequency of traditional food. The prevalence of infant nutritional diseases and mental development were significantly associated with the intake frequency of animal protein-based food and nutrition-based food.