QUALITY OF INFANT FEEDING AND MATERNAL PERCEPTION ABOUT ADHERENCE OF GUIDELINES AND FOOD INFLUENCE ON THEIR CHILDREN‘S HEALTH

Objectives: Evaluate the quality of feeding in children younger than one year old attended in a health unit and the maternal perception about adherence of guidelines of health professionals and food influence on their children‘s health. Methods: Descriptive quantitative research relevant at primary level. The data were obtained through the application of questionnaire to 150 mothers/caregivers of children up to 11 months and 29 days attended at the unit and who agreed to participate in the study. The data collection occurred during the months of December 2014 to March 2015. Results: 96% of mothers have the perception to follow the guidelines of the health team and 4% do not have (of these, 17% showed concern about food influence on child‘s health). 45% underwent early weaning, which in 31% of cases occurred in the first month of life. The breastfeeding was maintained after the introduction of foods at 6 months in 74% of cases. In the introduction, 74% offered initially liquid and 26% solids. 30% of mothers of older than six months offer food with sugar, 74% milk and derivatives, 94% fruit and 76% vegetables. 79% amass food before offer and 4% beat in the blender. Conclusion: There was early introduction of food in about half of the cases and a large number of mothers that provides food not recommended in the first year of life. We observed an inconsistency between the perception and the maternal attitudes, and a low percentage of concern about food influence on the health of children.