Meal and Snack Patterns of Infants and Toddlers in the United Arab Emirates: The UAE Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study

Aim: To describe meal and snack patterns and practices of infants and toddlers in the UAE. Method: A random sample of 1,000 infants and toddlers, aged 5 months to 2 years and attending Public Health clinics for immunization, was recruited. One face-to-face interview in which caregivers reported the feeding pattern of their infants and toddlers in the preceding 24-h period was conducted. For statistics, we used percentages (proportions) by age group (5-11.9 and 12-24 months). Result: The rate of breastfeeding decreased with age from 60% at 5 months to 37% at 12 months. At the age of 5-6 months, 90% of infants had been introduced to complementary foods. Juice was consumed by 7% of the infants before the American Academy of Pediatrics-recommended age of 6 months. At the age of 9-11 months, 90-100% of infants consumed cows' milk on a daily basis. Moreover, French fries and/or sweetened beverages were consumed by 10% of infants and toddlers. Chicken was the most commonly fed meat (19.6% of infants and 57.2% of toddlers). Conclusion: The study results provide important evidence of improper feeding in some children and would help in providing guidance to parents and caregivers about the introduction of appropriate solid foods at an appropriate time.