Introduction of solid foods to African American and Anglo American low-birth-weight and full-term infants.

A secondary data analysis of 7,174 infants explores the use of cereal, fruits and vegetables, and meats with African-American and Anglo-American very-low-birth-weight (VLBW), low-birth-weight (LBW) and term infants over the first five months after discharge. The first solid foods offered were cereal for African-American infants and fruits and vegetables for Anglo infants. There are statistically significant differences in the number of feedings offered by the two ethnic groups. During the last two-to-three months, African-American term and LBW infants received all solid foods more frequently than Anglo infants. Neither ethnic group followed current feeding practice recommendations on when to introduce solid food.