PEDIATRICS Vol. 80 No. 2 August 1987, pp. 175-182
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Parental Health Beliefs as a Cause of Nonorganic Failure to Thrive

Michael T. Pugliese MD1, Michelle Weyman-Daum MS RD1, Nancy Moses MNS, RD1, and Fima Lifshitz MD1

1 From the Departments of Pediatrics, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, and Cornell University Medical College, New York

Parental misconceptions and health beliefs concerning what constitutes a normal diet for infants is reported as a cause for failure to thrive. There were seven patients (four boys, three girls), 7 to 22 months of age, who were evaluated for poor weight gain and linear growth. They were only consuming 60% to 94% of the recommended caloric intake for age and sex. The children's caloric intake had been restricted by their parents. They were concerned that the children would become obese, develop atherosclerosis, become junk food dependent, and/or develop eating habits that the parents believed were unhealthy. The parents instituted diets consistent with health beliefs currently in vogue and recommended by the medical community for adults who are at risk for cardiovascular disease. These diets caused the infants to experience inadequate weight gain and have a decreased linear growth rate. With nutritional counseling, all food restrictions were removed, the caloric intake was increased to 94% to 147% of the recommended intake for age. The weight gain rate increased significantly (P< .05) from 0.1 ± 0.1 kg/mo to 0.4 ± 0.3 kg/mo, and the linear growth rate increased significantly (P) from 0.4 ± 0.4 cm/mo to 1.0 ± 0.6 cm/mo within 3 months of therapy. Exaggerated concerns about excessive food intake in childhood and/or concern about the sequelae of eating an improper diet has resulted in this entity of failure to thrive due to parental health beliefs.

Key Words: nonorganic failure to thrive • growth • health belief • atherosclerosis • infant-feeding practice

Submitted on April 7, 1986
Accepted on August 27, 1986




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