Poor early growth and high salt intake in Indian infants. (19th May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Genovesi, Simonetta; Antolini, Laura; Orlando, Antonina; Brahmochary, Sujit; De Servi, Alessandra; Capelli, Silvia; Giussani, Marco; Nava, Elisa; Agostoni, Carlo; Gallieni, Maurizio
• Is Part Of: International journal of food sciences and nutrition. Volume 68:Number 4(2017)
• Page Start: 467
• Page End: 472
• Publication Date: 2017-05-19
• Subjects: Infant -- growth -- nutrition -- hypertension -- salt -- India; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Nutrition -- Periodicals; 641.3
• DOI: 10.1080/09637486.2016.1249463
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0963-7486

Abstract

Abstract: The influence of feeding patterns on the growth of infants and how salt is included in the diet are unknown in the area of West Bengal, India. A cross-sectional study was carried on 517 infants (median age 6.5 months). Negative Z-scores were observed for all anthropometric parameters. About 72.7% of infants aged 0–6 months received exclusive breastfeeding. In the 6–12-month-old group ( n = 235), 91.5% had salt added to foods. In a regression model adjusted for age, a low salt diet resulted a significant factor in increasing weight-for-length and BMI for age z-scores, with increments equal to 0.637 SD ( p = 0.037) and 0.650 SD ( p = 0.036), respectively. In West Bengal infants showing poor growth, breastfeeding was associated with better anthropometric indexes, but early in life salt is added to their diet. Early life low weight coupled with high salt intake may be a risk factor for arterial hypertension in Indian children.