Objective: To analyze the feeding situation and change trend of the infants and young children under the age of 2 years in China.
Methods: The multi-stage cluster probability sampling was used to select randomly total 7204 infants and young children under the age of 2 years from Chinese 14 provinces, autonomy regions and municipalities. Questionnaires for parents were used to collect the information of feeding.
Results: The national breastfeeding rate of infant under 6 months was 49.2% in 2006, which of urban and rural was 51.9% and 48.5% respectively. About the complementary feeding of the infants and young children of 6 to 24 months old, the addition rate of formula, common milk and milk products, cereals, meats, aquatic products, eggs, legume, vegetable and fruit is 41.8%, 47.6%, 94.4%, 78.0%, 59.9%, 87.4%, 64.9% and 90.2% respectively.
Conclusion: The nutritional status of infants and young children still need further concerns, for the reason that the exclusive breastfeeding rate remained in a low level, especially the rate in rural areas showed a dramatic decreased trend. Meanwhile, the complementary feeding frequently begins too early or too late, and foods are often nutritionally inadequate and unsafe.