Infant feeding practices and lactation diets amongst Vietnamese immigrants

Interviews were conducted with 40 multiparous Vietnamese immigrant women to establish major factors which might influence maternal and child nutrition, and to identify areas of change in practice following migration from Vietnam to Australia. The classification of food as “hot” and “cold”, an integral element of humoral pathology, largely influenced the ciets and behaviour of lactating women and contrasted with the decline in the influence and observance of associated traditional food restrictions for infants. Amongst Australian-born infants, there was a decline in the incidence and duration of breast feeding and an earlier introduction of solids with an increased use of commercially manufactured baby foods and supplements. Reasons for changes in the infant feeding practices following migration appear to be economic rather than cultural.