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Growth of exclusively breastfed and self-weaned children of Greece aged 0-36 months.

OBJECTIVE
Breastfeeding is recognized as an important public health issue with substantial social and economic implications. Moreover, the growth of exclusively breastfed babies differs from that of their formula-fed counterparts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physical growth of exclusively breastfed and self-weaned boys and girls of Greece 0-36 months of age.


SUBJECTS AND METHODS
The physical growth of children was monitored from birth up to 36 months of age. Body weight, length/height, and head circumference were recorded. The study population included 101 boys and 105 girls who were recruited consecutively from a private breastfeeding clinic in the second largest city of Greece and through La Leche League groups throughout the country during 2000 to 2005. All infants were exclusively breastfed for ≥ 6 months. Anthro software ( www.who.int/childgrowth/software/en/index.html ) was used to compare the data of our study population and the World Health Organization standards for weight, length/height, and head circumference for age.


RESULTS
Male and female infants at 12 months had almost tripled their weight (192% and 190% increase, respectively) and had increased their length (height) by 48% and 47%, respectively, and head circumference had increased by 35% and 33%, respectively. In both sexes the relative length/height and the head circumference-for-age increase rates were higher from the first to the second month of life than at any other period.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term exclusively breastfed infants grow normally. Hence, no recommendations for the interruption of lactation and/or supplementation with formula are justified.