An Investigation of the Nutritional Status and Motor Development of Syrian Infants Living in a Rural District

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the nutritional status and motor development of Syrian infants living in a rural district. The study included forty-one Syrian infants aged 0–12 months. The infants’ nutritional status was assessed based on caregiver reports, by recording the type of feeding across age periods (breast milk, formula, and complementary foods). Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, head circumference, arm circumference) were obtained. The motor development was assessed using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS). The mean age of the infants was 5.83 ± 2.61 months. Between 12% and 22% of infants were below the 3rd percentile for height, weight, or head circumference, while 17% were below the 5th percentile for arm circumference. Complementary feeding was initiated before six months of age in 52.4% of infants aged six months and older. According to AIMS, only 29.2% of infants demonstrated normal motor development. No statistically significant associations were found between AIMS percentiles and anthropometric measures or early complementary feeding (p> 0.05). These findings suggest that Syrian infants living in a rural district represent a vulnerable population at risk for impaired growth and motor development. This study also highlights the need for comprehensive monitoring programs and family-centered nutritional educations.