Trends in commercial complementary food in Romanian infants-a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Background/objectives: Good feeding practices beginning early in life and are crucial for preventing all forms of malnutrition and non-communicable diseases. This time frame encompasses the delicate phase of complementary feeding, which traditionally involved homemade meals. The use of commercial complementary foods (CCF) began more than a century ago and represents a convenient alternative. We aim to outline both the profile of CCF consumers while accurately describe CCF dietary patterns.

Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study analysing a final cohort of 75 infants 6-12 months admitted for acute illnesses to the Pediatrics Department of the "Grigore Alexandrescu" Emergency Hospital for Children in Bucharest, Romania, from June 2024 to December 2024. The mothers were requested to complete a two-section questionnaire focusing specifically on the utilization of commercial baby food products.

Results: Eighty percent of the study population consumed at least once a CCF product, with a median [IQR] age at first administration at 6 months [5.25-7]. The CCF products were divided in 6 categories: milk-based products, cereals, pseudocereals, fruit jars/pouches, vegetables puree and meat jars and biscuits and pastas (flour-based products) similar to the one from European Commission. The most frequently given were biscuits and pasta. CCF consumption was not overall influenced by family income or educational level, except the pseudocereals consumption. Among the most utilized vegetables were sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini, among the fruits were apples and banana and chicken-meat was the most offered. Overall perception of mothers on CCF was favorable, within the motivations and advantages of using them being their diversity and convenience.

Conclusion: CCF are intensely utilized in our country. Regarding the composition of these products, there is a combination between traditions and new dietary tendencies. Longitudinal, further studies, are necessary to characterize the long-term effects of this feeding pattern.