Dietary Intake and Anthropometric Status Differ for Anaemic and Non-anaemic Rural South African Infants Aged 6–12 Months

The study was undertaken to determine anthropometric measurements, sociodemographic data, and dietary intake of 238 anaemic and 241 non-anaemic rural South African infants aged 6–12 months. Logistic regression with anaemia as a dependent variable showed an odds ratio (OR) of 1.89 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–3.52) for low birth-weight, 2.04 (CI 1.29–3.22) for maternal age 20 years or younger, 2.21 (CI 1.29–3.76) for consumption of tea, and 0.40 (CI 0.26–0.63) for formula feeding. The anaemic infants, aged 6−<9 months, had a lower average weight gain per month than the non-anaemic infants (727 g vs 772 g; p=0.040, analysis of variance). Logistic regression with underweight as a dependent variable showed an OR of 3.55 (CI 1.26–10.01) for anaemia, and with stunting as a dependent variable, the OR was 2.71 (CI 1.46–5.02). Low birth-weight, a young mother aged 20 years or younger, and consumption of tea were identified as risk factors for anaemia, while formula feeding was shown to have a protective effect. The anaemic infants were more likely to show growth faltering.