A survey to describe and study the health and development of young children

The recommendations of the National Nutrition and Health Program (PNNS), particularly the promotion of breastfeeding and, more generally, the nutrition of young children, have led Santé publique France to establish a surveillance system for children’s nutrition during their first year of life. Its purpose is to assess the potential impacts of initiatives aimed at promoting breastfeeding and the appropriate introduction of complementary foods for infants.

The Epifane study focuses more specifically on:

• breastfeeding (frequency, duration, exclusivity),

• the type, duration, and quantities of commercially available infant formula used

• the methods of introducing solid foods (timing of introduction, types of foods, quantities).

It will provide comprehensive indicators on infant feeding and track changes since 2012.

The 2021 edition includes a section on mothers’ health (obstetric history, mental health, postpartum recovery, etc.) and perinatal health (medical follow-up, growth, sleep, etc.) in addition to the nutrition section. These indicators will provide an overview of the child’s development up to their first birthday.

More than 3,500 mothers surveyed in May 2021

In 2021, Epifane is linked to the National Perinatal Survey (ENP). The ENP was launched among approximately 14,000 mothers who gave birth between March 15 and 21, 2021, in public or private maternity hospitals and birth centers in France. Among the women included in the 2021 ENP, approximately 3,500 will be randomly selected to participate in the Epifane study. They will complete online and telephone questionnaires at 2, 6, and 12 months after the child’s birth, specifically in May 2021, September 2021, and March 2022.

These women will thus contribute to advancing knowledge and practices regarding maternal health and child development during the child’s first year of life, helping to improve current practices and understanding.

These results, available by the end of 2022, will help better inform the public and guide public health policies.

Key findings from the first edition

The Epifane study, conducted in 2012–2013 on a sample of 3,368 mother-child pairs, provided, for the first time at the national level, a comprehensive set of indicators on infant feeding.

Among children breastfed in the maternity ward (74%), the median duration of breastfeeding was 15 weeks. At 6 months, only one in four children was still being breastfed. More than half of the children (54%) began complementary feeding between 4 and 6 months.

The results of this first edition highlighted the need to promote breastfeeding and encourage its continuation, if possible until 6 months of age, as recommended by the National Nutrition and Health Program (PNNS). Since most other European countries report significantly higher rates in this area, breastfeeding appears to be a particular public health issue in France.