Effects of the duration of the habituation period on energy intakes from low and high energy density gruels by Burkinabè infants living in free conditions

The present study was carried out in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) with the aim of determining if the duration of the habituation period (1, 5 or 10 days) to low and high energy density gruels affected the amounts consumed or the energy intakes from gruels consumed by 6–9-month-old infants. Thirty infants were chosen randomly among the eligible children in the study area and randomly assigned to two groups (S1 and S2). Each infant was given successively for 10 consecutive days two experimental gruels, each type of gruel being fed twice a day. The 15 infants in group S1 received low energy density gruel (G1) in the first period and high energy density gruel (G2) in the second, and the 15 infants in group S2 received G2 in the first period and G1 in the second. The two periods of 10 days were separated by 4 days during which the infant received his or her usual foods. The intakes of experimental gruels and other complementary foods were measured on days 1, 5 and 10 of each period. Whatever the type of gruel, the 10-day period of habituation did not result in an increase in the amounts consumed or in the energy intakes from these gruels. The amounts of G1 consumed on day 5 were significantly higher than those of G2 (9.0 vs 6.8 g/kg/meal; p=0.044). Energy intakes from G2 were significantly higher than those from G1 on days 1 (28.8 vs 18.0 kJ/kg/meal; p=0.0002), 5 (28.8 vs 19.2 kJ/kg/meal; p=0.002) and 10 (25.9 vs 15.5 kJ/kg/meal; p=0.0004). Daily frequencies of breastfeeding (≈5.6), water drinking (≈3.7) and meals with foods other than experimental gruels were relatively high and did not vary with the duration of the habituation period or the type of gruels. Whatever the type of gruel, the increase in the duration of the habituation period did not increase the amount consumed or energy intakes. The study confirmed that consumption of high energy density gruels led to a 60% increase in energy intakes in comparison with the consumption of low energy density gruels.