Age of Introduction of Complementary Feeding and Physical Growth of Infants under 1 Year of Dezful health centers in 2013

Starting solid foods is a big step in the development of eating habits that affect on children health. Due to the risk of early or late complementary feeding, this study was designed to determine the effect of onset time of complementary feeding on physical growth of infants under 1 year who referred to Dezful health centers. This Cross-sectional study was performed on 200 infants under 1 year who referred to the Dezful health center in 2013. Samples were selected by available sampling. Data collected by researcher made questionnaire, interview, health records documents and anthropometric characteristics Growth index such as: standard deviation scores for height, weight, head circumference, ratio of height to weight based on the NCHS (National Center For Health Statistics). The data were analyzed using Spss software v20 by statistical tests such as analysis of Variance, independent t test and f test. The significance level was considered below 0.01(P<0.01). The results showed that there is not significant statistical difference between early onset of complementary feeding(4-6 month) compared to the onset of complementary feeding at the end of 6 month and its effect on anthropometric factors(p>0.01). There was a significant differences between mean scores of weight and head circumference, The ratio of height to weight of male and female infants at the end of the one year old (p<0.01). according to results of this study, proper education to parents of health children about starting complementary feeding during the transitional period (4-6 months), maybe reduce malnutrition in children.