Background: Considering the adverse effects and difficulties due to formula feeding or early commencement of supplemental diet and also different reports from their status, this study was conducted to investigate the nutritional status and related factors in 4/5 month-old infants referred to health care centers in kashan in 2002.

Materials and methods: This cross - sectional study was performed on 350 mothers who had children aged 4/5 months. The sampling was done randomly in several phases. The information about kinds of diet, maternal age, maternal education, occupational status, infant sex, order of infant’s birth, the commencement time of first feeding, exclusive breast feeding period and the commencement time of supplemental diet were collected . Also the weight and height of infants were measured. Then the collected data was analyzed.

Findings:  Non exclusive breast feeding was observed in 17.7% of infants and in 3.7% of them, supplemental diet had begun earlier than their 4-month age. Breast feeding period in 82.3% of infants was more than 4 months. There was a statistically significant correlation between kinds of diet and maternal age (P<0.002), occupational status (p<0.001) and the commencement time of first feeding (p<0.0005). Infant weight in exclusive breastfeeding group (N1= 288) was 7243 ±792.1 gr and in non exclusive breast feeding group (N2=62) was 6891 ±1059 gr (P<0.002). Their height was respectively 62.63± 2.9 cm and 62.25± 3.1 cm (P<0.1)

Conclusion: Early beginning of breast feeding in postpartum period, paying further attention to old mothers and employed mothers have an important role in exclusive breastfeeding development and prevention of infant mortality.