[Infant nutrition in Switzerland 1978. A prospective study on feeding habits during the first 6 months. II. Artificial feeding].

The term "artificial feeding" includes a) the various infant formulas (including homemade formulas) substituting or supplementing mother's milk; b) the so-called "Beikost", i.e. minor additions to mothers milk or formula, such as fruit juices, fruit, meat and eggs; c) solid foods replacing part of the liquid food after a few weeks or months (weaning food). The use of these preparations in no- or partially-breastfed infants was studied and correlated with various socioeconomic parameters. The most striking observations were (1) during the first three months a decline in homemade formulas in favour of adapted readymade preparations; (2) a reduction in milk-cereal preparations with an increase in the use of yoghurt. Both trends reduce the carbohydrate content of the food. Except for breast-feeding, there are only minor differences in feeding habits between different socioeconomic classes. 96% of all infants received prophylactic doses of vitamin D, while 81% were given fluorides as prophylaxis against caries. On average the first gliadins were given after 16 weeks, in 10% earlier than the sixth week and in 16% after the sixth month only.