Feeding practices of children aged under 2 years in Guarapuava-PR: experience in their daily life. / Práticas alimentares de crianças menores de dois anos de idade em Guarapuava-PR: experiências do cotidiano

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2009

RESUMO

The maternal feeding practices are one of the essential factors for the childrens right nutritional state as well as for enhancing their physical development. However, they are influenced by the socioeconomical background, the maternal schooling, the access to health public services and by the values and beliefs of the home environment. This work aims to depict the feeding practices of children under 2 years and who have low weight and height for their age. The survey was carried out through observation in Health Units as well as through the analysis of accounts about undernourished children and their feeding. An investigative and descriptive study with a qualitative research was undertaken in order to obtain more detailed and more accurate information about the people who were being investigated and also to have a look at the maternal experience in daily life. This approach was carried out in the City of Guarapuava-PR and the people who joined in it were eight children whose age group was from 6 to 24 months of age and their mothers. The investigation techniques used were the participant observation and semi-structured interviews and, from the thematic analysis, the research intends to seize the significant structures connected with the feeding practices observed and with the maternal reports, ranking them in four subjects: The children and mothers studied, The childrens feeding in their homes daily life, The feeding during the childhood in the family and social circle, The childs health care. It was possible to understand the home environment and the surroundings features; to have information on the breastfeeding story, on the introduction of complementary food, as well as on the babys feeding highlighting who prepares it, what is prepared, how it is prepared, the time when it is prepared, the routines and places. The study also enabled to know about the familys feeding pointing out how it is different from the childs feeding and about the social situation of the families, especially when it is related to the availability of food in the residences, about the social benefit plans people got; furthermore it was possible to check aspects linked with the interaction among the mothers and the children during the feeding, the mothers care and awareness of the childrens health and nutritional condition. It was noted that the childrens diet was fairly routine with a prevailing consumption of milk for breakfast; snacks and basic food like rice, beans, pasta, potato and sometimes meat for lunch; vegetable and fruit were hardly ever consumed. From this study one is able to realize that the childs nutritional condition is connected with many aspects related to the breast-feeding, the introduction of complementary food in the appropriate age, the correct quantity and quality in feeding, the hygiene, the familys social situation, the social benefit plans and comprehensive governments policies, ordinary cares for the health. Families bring values from their background that not always follow practices recommended by National and International Organizations on childrens daily cares for the health. It may be useful to health care professionals to know the surroundings where these families live, their life situation, values and beliefs so that it will be easier to establish healthy diet habits and to treat nutritional disorders. This approach is a reality inside a context and if it is shared it can help to have a broader look at the familys and at the kidshealth.

ASSUNTO(S)

mães malnutrition children feeding habits crianças desnutrição mothers práticas alimentares

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

Documentos Relacionados