Diet and Nutrition Survey of Infants and Young Children in Scotland, 2011

Findings relevant to recommendations

• Thirty two per cent of infants had never been breastfed, and of those who were breastfed, 65% were not breastfed beyond three months of age.
• Fifty seven per cent of breastfeeding mothers in Scotland reported taking any type of supplement, most often a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement, which was taken by 35% of breastfeeding mothers. The proportion taking supplements containing vitamin D is not known.
• The majority of children in the survey were drinking infant formula at the time of the survey, except in the oldest age group of 12 to 18 months. The majority of parents feeding their child infant formula in the home followed recommendations for preparation. For example, 75% reported making up the formula as needed and 68% used water that had been left to cool for no longer than 30 minutes. When feeding outside of the home however, the majority did not follow recommendations; for example, 54% made up formula using cold or cooled water. Results were similar to the UK sample.
• Twenty seven per cent of infants aged 4 to 6 months consumed follow-on formula, which is not recommended before six months and is not nutritionally necessary.
• Seventy seven per cent of children were given food apart from milk before six months of age, and were therefore not in compliance with the recommendation to delay the introduction of solids to six months.
• Thirteen per cent of children aged 4 to 6 months consumed whole cow's milk over the survey period, increasing to 80% of those aged 12 to 18 months. Children aged below 10 months consumed less than a quarter of a pint (146g) of whole milk per day, generally in keeping with the recommendation. Among consumers aged 10 to 11 months however, consumption was greater at 189g per day.
• A small proportion of children consumed semi-skimmed milk, 4% of infants aged 4 to 6 months increasing to 12 to 13% of children aged 10 to 18 months. Small proportions of children consumed 'other milk and cream' including 1% milk, skimmed milk, increasing from 0% of those aged 4 to 6 months to 9% of those aged 12 to 18 months.
• For those children who had food other than milk, most parents (89%) reported never adding salt to the child's food.
• Over the four-day food diary period, 6% to 9% of children were given a micronutrient supplement, most often a multi-vitamin supplement. In relation to vitamin D exposure, nearly half of all infants and young children had been outside between the hours of 10am and 3pm every day in the previous seven days before the interview. Most had not been on a holiday with strong sun in the previous year.
• The proportion of children who had ever drunk from a cup or beaker with a spout increased with age, from 63% of those aged 4 to 6 months to 95% of those aged 12 to 18 months.
• A toothbrush was reported to be used at least once every day for 84% of children with at least one tooth. There was greater compliance with recommendations for brushing of teeth of young children in Scotland than in the UK sample.