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Association between the Infant and Child Feeding Index at 8 months and early childhood neurodevelopment

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the association between infant feeding practices, measured by the Infant and Child Feeding Index (ICFI) at 8 months, and early childhood neurodevelopment. Methods: A total of 705 participants were enrolled from the Shenzhen Birth Cohort Study (SZBC), a prospective longitudinal study. Infant feeding practices at 8 months were assessed via a validated dietary recall method combining 24 h and 7 day recall records. ICFI scores were calculated based on seven components (including breastfeeding and complementary feeding) and dichotomized into qualified (>60% of the total score) versus unqualified groups. Neurodevelopment was evaluated across five domains using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition (ASQ-3) at 8, 12, 18, and 24 months. Multivariable Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) analyzed the association between ICFI status at 8 months and neurodevelopmental delay across early childhood. Results: At 8 months, 48.5% of infants had qualified ICFI scores. Across the five ASQ-3 domains, the prevalence of developmental delay between 8 and 24 months ranged from 1.0 to 16.8%. After controlling for confounders, infants in the qualified ICFI group exhibited significantly lower odds of delay in the communication domain (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.35-0.75), the problem-solving domain (OR = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.32-0.95), and the personal-social domain (OR = 0.54; 95% CI: 0.37-0.79). Conclusion: Higher ICFI scores at 8 months, indicating healthier feeding practices, are associated with reduced risk of neurodevelopmental delays through age two. These findings underscore the importance of promoting targeted feeding guidelines to support early childhood development.

Source: Frontiers in Nutrition

DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1727649