Food intakes and growth of young Chinese children in London

Twenty London Chinese children aged 1—24 months were studied over a period of 6 months in order to measure and describe food intakes, feeding patterns and growth rates. All were growing well and receiving an adequate energy intake. The dietary pattern consisted of common proprietary British infant foods given from birth until 6—9 months of age, which were then displaced by typical Chinese foods. Breast feeding has been abandoned by most of the mothers. Health personnel wishing to advise on infant feeding should understand the dynamics of this change from the child feeding regimen typical of poor Hong Kong families to one which is a manageable synthesis of Chinese and British practices