A Follow-up Study on Dietary Pattern and Nutritional Status of Lactating Women and Infants during the First Month of Age and 5 Months Postpartum in Peri-Urban Area of Pattani Province

Abstract

Pattani province has been known as the unrested area which causes the negative effects on the well-being of people especially nutritional status of the vulnerable groups. The optimal nutrition status of lactating women is considered important for both mothers and their breastfed infants. The exploration of dietary pattern of these population groups should be done before solving problem.  The secondary data was used for this longitudinal descriptive study with the aim to explore the dietary pattern and assess the changes in nutritional status of lactating women and infants at the first month and the fifth month postpartum. Subjects were 27 lactating women-infants pairs and infant’s age was under 1 month old. They were living in peri-urban area of Pattani province. The questionnaire was used to collect general characteristics together with 24-hour dietary recall. The body mass index (BMI) of lactating women determined by anthropometric measurements and weight, length and head circumference measurements were obtained from infants. The study revealed that energy intake of lactating women was significantly higher (p < 0.05) at the fifth month compared to the first month postpartum (62.0 % vs. 80.9 % Thai DRI respectively). Dietary diversity showed that lactating women who had non-diversified dietary score significantly decreased from 55.6 % to 14.8 % at the fifth month postpartum (p < 0.05). The ratio of exclusive breastfeeding infants significantly decreased when compared to the first month postpartum (p < 0.05). At the first month of age 48.1% of infants were classed as normal (weight- for- length- Z- score) which significantly increased to 74.1% at the fifth month postpartum (p < 0.05).