Background: Exclusive breast feeding (EBF) has lifelong benefits for both mothers and infants. We aimed to access growth indices in exclusively breast fed infants ≤ 6 months and compare them with growth standards of National Center Health Statistics (NCHS), to evaluate efficacy of EBF for optimal growth as well.
Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study included 500 healthy exclusively breast fed infants from a private clinic and 4 public health centers from 1995 to 2005 in Mashhad, Iran .Their growth indices were accessed and compared with NCHS growth standards.
Results: Mean growth indices of males and females were significantly higher than the same percentile in NCHS standards.
Conclusion: The present study revealed efficacy of EBF for optimal growth in the first 6 months of life. By the time native growth charts are on access, using breast fed growth standards designed on breast fed infant indices (World Health Organization-WHO) standards for growth monitoring is significance in Iran which leads to correct evaluation and preserving EBF.