A Study On The Relationship Between Feeding Patterns And Dietetic Behaviors, Temperament, Intelligence And Motor Development Of Toddlers

Objective Feeding patterns include breast feeding, mixed feeding and artificial feeding. Breast feeding is good for the health of both mother and infant persistently. At present, large amount of researches indicate that breast feeding is beneficial to the development of intelligence and behavior of toddlers, and it can reduce morbidity of many diseases, but studies on the relationship between feeding patterns and temperament of toddlers are few. In this study, we do further discuss about the effect of feeding patterns on dietetic behaviors, intelligence and motor development of toddlers, as well as study the connection between feeding patterns and each temperament factor, in order to prevent dietetic problems and to promote the development of toddlers. Therefore, breast feeding can be strongly recommended.Methods 80 children aged 2-2. 5 years old visited Shandong University Qilu Hospital during May, 2006 to December, 2006 were chosen by random sampling. Among them 42 children were breast feeding, 23 were mixed feeding and 15 were artificial feeding. Chinese toddlers temperament scale (CTTS), and self-made inventory questionnaire were filled by the parents according to their children daily performance. Then, the tests applied the Test Software for China Children of Temperament, mainly typing by regularity, phobotaxis, adaptability, response intensity and emotion entity. Development of the toddlers were evaluated by 0-6 years' old Development Screen Test(DST) and Bayley Scales of Infant Development(BSID). The results of DST were divided into normal, questionable and abnormal by development quotient(DQ), and MI indicates motion index. The results of BSID were evaluated by mental developmental index(MDI) and psychomotor developmental index(PDI). All the data was analyzed by software SPSS13. 0.Results 1, There were highly significant differences in the incidence of dietetic problems among breast feeding group, mixed feeding group and artificial feeding group, the incidence that of breast feeding group was lower (X~2=14. 425, P<0. 01) . The incidence of dietetic problems was also significantly different in different times of introduction of complementary foods (X~2=13.525, P<0. 01) . 2, There were differences in the distribution of temperament type among the three groups. The percentage of the easy type and the intermediate easy type of breast feeding group was obviously higher, that of the intermediate difficult type of mixed feeding group was higher, and that of the difficult type of artificial feeding group was higher. The scores of all the nine temperament factors of breast feeding group was lower than those of mixed feeding group and artificial feeding group. The scores of breast feeding group and mixed feeding group showed a great difference in persistence, response intensity, activity level, regularity , emotion entity and response threshold(P <0. 01—0. 05). The scores of breast feeding group and artificial feeding group showed a great difference in persistence, emotion entity, activity level and regularity (P <0. 01-0. 05). There was no significant difference of the scores of all the nine temperament factors between mixed feeding group and artificial feeding group. 3, The average MI, DQ and MDI, PDI of breast feeding group was obviously higher than that of mixed feeding group and artificial feeding group in DST and BSID(P <0. 01-0. 05), and the difference between mixed feeding group and artificial feeding group was not significant. 4, There were highly significant differences in the incidence of dietetic problems of different temperament types(X~2 = 20. 500, P<0. 01). The PDI of the difficult type was obviously lower than that of the easy type, intermediate easy type and slow-moving type(P < 0.05). But there was no significant difference of MDI among different temperament types.Conclusion 1, Toddlers who were fed breast milk and introduced complementary foods at 4-6 months had a lower risk of dietetic problems. 2, The temperament type and every temperament factors of the toddlers were effected by their feeding patterns, breast feeding was good for temperament development. 3, Intelligence and motor development of toddlers can be promoted by breast feeding. 4, The temperament type of the toddlers were correlated with their dietetic problems. And the relationship between temperament type and intelligence and motor development of toddlers needs further research.