Nutrition in the first year of life in a multi-ethnic poor socio-economic municipality in Melbourne.

In a longitudinal epidemiological study of 304 consecutively born infants in a poor socio-economic multi-ethnic municipality (Brunswick) nutrition was suboptimal in approximately 50%. This was mainly due to a high failure rate in establishing effective lactation in the 82% of mothers who commenced breast feeding, but also to the early and frequent feeding of solids, usually refined carbohydrates, and minimal use of fresh fruit and vegetables. The low rate of breast feeding to 6 months in Brunswick (16% compared with the State of Victoria average of 27%) was associated with demographic changes due to immigration. Of the 304 mothers, 62% were born overseas, most had limited schooling, no working skills, and 50% were unable to speak English. Successful breast feeding was positively correlated with better education and working skills while early introduction of solids and canned food was negatively correlated. Professional advice and influence in infant feeding was very limited as most mothers decided their feeding methods on their own preferences or their experience with other children, or on advice from their own mothers or relatives. These findings indicate that it will be a slow and complex task to change attitudes and teach poorly educated mothers, especially immigrants with limited English, the importance of optimum nutrition.