Stig Sjölin

FACTORS RELATED TO EARLY TERMINATION OF BREAST FEEDING A Retrospective Study in Sweden

Abstract. In 1972, 298 mothers representative of the city of Uppsala in general breast fed their babies for only a brief period of time despite a clear wish to continue—36% up to 8 weeks. The most common reason for terminating breast feeding was that the “milk dried up” (66%). More precise reasons commonly mentioned were anxiety of all kinds, lack of motivation, stress, tiredness and work outside the home. It was further found that mothers who enjoyed their breast feeding, were well educated, were older than 25 years and belonged to social class 1, tended to breast feed longest.

Physical Activity in Relation to Energy Intake and Body Fat in 8‐ and 13‐Year‐Old Children in Sweden

ABSTRACT. A random sample of 682 8‐ and 13‐year‐old children resident in Sweden was studied with regard to physical activity, energy intake, height, weight and skinfold thickness. A reduction of physical activity over the years was indicated by a tendency towards a higher body fat content in spite of a lower mean energy intake as compared with such values obtained 10‐15 years ago in Swedish children of equal ages. Children characterized by high habitual physical activity tended to have a lower body fat content, despite a higher energy intake, than less active children. Children, especially girls, of parents with a low educational level showed a tendency towards higher body fat content as compared with those of parents with higher education.

A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF INDIVIDUAL COURSES OF BREAST FEEDING

Abstract. A prospective study of the course of breast feeding was carried out in 75 randomly selected women. Weekly interviews were performed from the day after delivery until the termination of breast feeding, but in no case for longer than 6 months. In each case a detailed analysis was made of the factors leading to transient lactation crises or to complete cessation of breast feeding. A second group of 71 mothers, also randomly selected, was interviewed in retrospect only, 6 months after delivery, and served as controls. Twenty‐four weeks after delivery 47% of the mothers in the weekly interview group were still breast feeding. The corresponding figure in the control group was 38%. In both groups only few mothers terminated lactation for medical reasons, while about one fourth stopped for some other reason and about one half because of a combination of factors. Brief case reports are presented to illustrate how varying the factors were that threatened breast feeding.

Food Habits and Nutrient Intake in Childhood in Relation to Health and Socioeconomic Conditions

In Sweden a multicentre nutritional survey was performed in 1980-81 in four different parts of Sweden. The total number of children investigated was 1109, of whom 92 were two years old, 332 four years, 338 eight years and 347 thirteen years. The 24-hour recall method was used in all children. In addition 7-day record was used in the 2-, 4- and 8-year-olds and the dietary history method in the 13-year-olds. During the weekdays the 2-, 4-, 8- and 13-year-old children had 5.9, 5.8, 5.4 and 5.2 meals and snacks per day, respectively. During weekends these respective numbers decreased to 5.7, 5.6, 5.1 and 5.0. The mean number of light meals and snacks was almost the same on all days and varied between 2.4 and 3.3 in the different age groups. The part of the energy intake deriving from snacks has increased during the last 15 years. The mean daily energy intakes for the 2-, 4-, 8- and 13-year-old boys and girls were 5.8 and 5.6, 6.9 and 6.5, 8.9 and 7.9 and 12.1 and 9.7 MJ respectively. These values are below the recommendations for all age groups except the 2-year-old boys. The mean daily intakes of protein, retinol, ascorbic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B12 and calcium were almost invariably higher or much higher than the recommendations, while those of vitamin D and zinc were below the recommended values. The iron intake fulfilled the recommendations except for the 2-year-olds and the 13-year-old girls. The intake of protein and fat expressed in per cent of the total energy intake was very similar in all age groups, about 14 per cent and 35-37 per cent respectively. The mean ratio between polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids (P/S ratio) was also the same in all age groups, i.e. 0.22-0.23. This low ratio is explained by a high consumption of dairy products. Furthermore, the nutrient density of the food did not change appreciably with age. The only exception was found for the 2-year-old children, who had slightly higher nutrient density values on account of a relatively high consumption of fortified follow-up formula. In all age groups the mean nutrient densities of vitamins D and B6 and of iron were below the recommendations to varying degrees. No clinical signs of nutritional deficiencies, iron deficiency included, were found in any age group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The amount of milk consumed by 1-3 months old breast- or bottle-fed infants.

ABSTRACT. The consumption of breastmilk was studied by the weighing method in 75 infants aged 1, 2 and 3 months (±1 week), 25 infants in each group. Similarly the same number of infants in the same age groups, bottle‐red ad libitum, was studied and the consumption and consumption pattern were compared between the two groups. The mean and range of consumed amounts of both types of milk were similar to that found in other studies. The means for breastmilk were 656‐773‐776 g and for breastmilk substitutes 713‐811‐853 g in the 1, 2 and 3 months infants, respectively, but with wide variations. When expressed as kcal/kg it appeared to be practically no difference between the two feeding groups. The bottle‐fed infants had fewer meals and had a more even consumption from meal to meal. It is concluded that infants largely regulate themselves the intake they require.

The Resistance of Red Cells in Vitro

(about 20 per cent) with co-existent or subsequent vascular complications in the form of nephropathy and/or retinopathy. Endocrine function studies in tlie Lund series suggested that a primary endocrine non-pancreatogenic forni of diabetes is rare and that tlie functional patterns of the adrenal cortex during ketosis or “stressful life situations” readily changes. The observations described above suggest the following conclusions: 1. The development of long-term diabetes is influenced not only by duration of the diabetes but also by any inipairnient of liver function and by endocrine f;wtors probably mediated via the adreno-liypophysenl axis and by stressful life situs n t‘ ions. 2 . The disturbed livcr function and endocrine homeostasis of tlie body is ascribable or a t least favoured by unrestricted diet. 3 . Dietary restrictions should be observed in the management of diabetes, especially as a prophylactic measure against long-term diabetes.

Physical Activity and Sports Involvement in 8‐ and 13‐Year‐Old Children in Sweden

ABSTRACT. The physical activity of randomly selected 8‐ and 13‐year‐old children, living in four different regions of Sweden, was investigated by means of a questionnaire. The younger children of each sex were found to be physically more active than the older ones, and within each age group the boys were physically more active than the girls. The results points to higher sports involvement today compared with 10–15 years ago, especially among younger children. It was also shown that regular physical training constituted a smaller proportion of the total physical activity among the younger children than among the older ones. At both ages and in both sexes the rate of regular physical training was lower in municipalities of less than 1000 inhabitants, and in the 8‐year‐old children it was also lower in municipalities of less than 5 000 inhabitants. Among the girls regular physical training was more common in those whose fathers had a high educational level compared with the girls who had fathers of a lower educational level.

Chronic Refractory Hypochromic Anaemia with Disturbed Haem-metabolism

HYPOCHROMIC anaemia refractory to oral iron therapy has long been known both in adults and in children. Apart from those due to infections and Mediterranean anaemia, most of these cases seem to be the result of disturbances in absorption from the digestive tract, such as in steatorrhoea, and they respond normally to parented iron therapy (Hawkins, Pecney and Cookc, 1950; Badenoch and Callcnder, 1954; Coleman, Stevens and Finch, 1955). Rarely, patients have been described who do not respond even to parcnteral iron therapy (Zetterstrom and Delava, 1955). The present communication is concerned with a I 5-year-old boy who has had pronounced refractory hypochromic anaemia for more than 10 years. Detailed analysis indicates a disturbance in the haem-metabolism of unknown cause. It is suggested that this disturbance may be the direct cause of the anaemia.

III. Disappearance from Plasma and Red-Cell Uptake of Radio-Active Iron Injected Intravenously1

The behaviour of intravenously injected radioiron in the plasma and its subsequent appearance in newly formed red cells was investigated in 25 infants aged between 0 and 273 days and in two children aged 591 and 931 days.

Absorption of labelled iron in infants less than three months old.

Summary