الفهرس 
Breast feedingOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Breast feeding provide protection against gastro- enteritis and respiratory infection in the first year of breast feeding results in less respiratory infection and lower blood pressure at age 7- 8 years. The appropriate age for starting complementary feeding is determined by the nutritional adequacy of exclusive breast-feeding at different ages, by potential health benefits (or hazards) related to continued exclusive breast-feeding, including effects on development of motor, cognitive and social functions and by the impact of early feeding on risk of diseases in later life, particularly obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus. Health care providers can influence a woman’s decision to breastfeed and her ability and desire to continue breastfeeding. Education to improve health care providers’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes in this area is a key step to increasing professional support for breastfeeding. The aim of this study is to improve health of children by studying the effect of weaning at age of 4 months and 6 months on growth & development and nutritional status of infants in Menouf district- Menoufia governorate. This study was a comparative study to detect the effect of weaning at age of 4 months & 6 months on growth, development and nutritional status of infants in Menouf district- Menoufia governorate. Sample was chosen randomly by equal allocation method from urban and rural area in Menouf district. Sample size was calculated using EPI-INFO program version (7) depending on the total number of live birth at the year of study beginning registered in Menouf district in 2010. The sample size was 513 infants raised to 550 to avoid the dropout by incomplete follow up. Number of infants was determined equally from Menouf and munshaat sultan health centers by simple random sample according to their approval to the consent and divided according to their mothers desire to begin weaning at 4 or 6 months. The study was carried out on the infants and their mothers who attend the family health center for routine infant care visits (as vaccination sitting). A follow up schedule at 4, 6, 9 & 12 months was done. The mothers were subjected to a well-designed questionnaire including sociodemographic data as sex, age, education and occupation of the mother and the father, number of children in the family, income and mode of delivery. The infants were subjected to a complete clinical examination for assessment of nutritional status through anthropometric measures and assessment of age of development of setting, standing, walking and teeth eruption during the period of study which was 8 months. This study was conducted on conducted on 520 infants 260 began weaning at 4 month age (G4) and the others at 6 months of age (G6). There was statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding mother education, father job but non-significant difference regarding sex, age of parents, mother job, father education, number of siblings, income and mode of delivery (table 1). Mean value showed statistically highly significant difference between the two groups regarding sitting age ( X SD=6.5±0.6 in G4 and was 6.5±0.6 in G6). Regarding crawling age, mean value showed statistically highly significant difference between the two groups ( X SD=7.8±0.8 in G4 and was 8.5±0.9). Mean value showed statistically highly significant difference between the two groups regarding standing age ( X SD=10.4±2.2in G4 and was 10.9±1.9 in G6). Regarding walking age. Mean value showed statistically highly significant difference between the two groups ( X SD=11.2±6.7 in G4 and was 12.5.3±7.7 in G6). Mean value showed statistically highly significant difference between the two groups regarding age of teeth eruption ( X SD=6.8±0.9 in G4 and was7.2±1.3). This showed delay of development age among infants began weaning at 4 month old than those at 6 month old (table 2). Mean value showed statistically highly significant difference between the two groups regarding weight at 6 months of age ( X SD=8.2±0.3in G4 and was 7.5±0.5). Mean value showed statistically highly significant difference between the two groups regarding weight at 9 months of age ( X SD=9.3±0.6 in G4 and was 8.6±0.5). But there was non-significant difference between the two groups regarding weight measured at 4and 12 month old. Also, there was non-significant difference between the two groups regarding lengh and head circumference measured at 4,6,9,12 months old(table 3). Infants who started weaning at age of four months show better growth and development and less occurrence of infectious diseases, gastroenteritis, pneumonia rickets and atopic eczema than those at age of six months. Weaning according to recommended nutritional program had better weight, length and head circumference. Also, infants had better hemoglobin concentration with fewer incidences of diseases such as infections or allergy.