Weaning practices and weaning foods of the Hausas, Yorubas and Ibos of Nigeria

The weaning practices and weaning foods of 120 Hausa, 116 Yoruba and 124 Ibo mothers were compared. Yoruba and Ibo mothers introduced solid foods to infants at significantly (P < 0.05) earlier ages than Hausa mothers. All groups used cereals, legumes, roots and tubers as weaning foods but the Hausas used more cereal products. The cereal paps offered to children by Hausa mothers had higher protein values than those given by Yoruba and Ibo mothers, probably because of better processing procedures. There was a negative but significant correlation (P<0.05) between income, educational status and age at introduction of solid food. Partial correlational analysis showed that education was probably the most important socio‐economic variable associated with age of introduction of solid food and also accounted for the significantly earlier introduction of solid food by the better educated Yoruba and Ibo mothers.