A Statistical Study of Feeding Trends

Hong, Dae Sik; Chung, Woo Sik; Kim, Heung Kyu; Nam, Byung Do; Kim, Kew Taek

Abstract

A statistical study was done on the feeding trends of 2,965 children who had visited both the out-patient clinic and the well-baby clinic of Padiatric Department, St. Benedict Hosp., from Sept., 1979 to Aud., 1980. 1) Among the total 2,965 children, the distribution according to age was about the same. The percentage of male and female was 58.5% respectively. As for geographical area of the cases, the majority were from Busan City Kyung Nam Province and the percentage was 96% and 3% respectively. 2) As for the methods of feeding, breast-feeding was 65%, artificial-feeding 18% and mixed-feeding 15%. 81% among the total cases had been on breast-feeding at one time or another. 3) As for feeding trends according to age, the younger the chile was, the more frequent the chance of artificial feeding. 4) Breast-feeding was less common in the children of premature delivery than children of full-term delivery. 5) Breast-feeding was less common among children with difficult delivery than children with easy delivery. 6) Breast-feeding was less common among children of hospital delivery than children of home delivery. 7) The higher the education level of the mother, the less common breast-feeding was. 8) Breast-feeding was less common among children from Busan City than children from Kyung Nam Province. 9) As for the beginning of feeding, in case of breast-feeding 56% were from 3rd day after bitrh and also in case of mixed-feeding 56% were from 3rd day after birth. 10) As for the duration of breas-feeding children with more than 12months of breast-feeding were most common(48%) and children with less than 6months of breast-feeding least common(8%). 11) The reasons for breast-feeding or mixed-feeding were not enough breast-milk 59%), mother's job 8%), baby's illness 8%), mother's illness 6%) and mother's breast problem 4%) by its frequency.