To assess understanding of the Department of Health weaning guidelines and weaning influences in a self-selected sample of black and minority ethnic (BME) parents, residing in London.

A face-to-face, questionnaire-facilitated survey among Black African, Black Caribbean and South Asian parents.

An opportunistic sample of parents was recruited from Sure Start centres, churches and play groups across key London boroughs.

Three hundred and forty-nine interviews were included; 107 Black African, fifty-four Black Caribbean, 120 South Asian and sixty-four of Black mixed-race ethnicity.

Fifty-two per cent of Black and 66 % of South Asian parents had accurate understanding of the guidelines. Inaccurate knowledge of the guidelines was associated with weaning before 17 weeks (P < 0·001); 36 % of Black Africans and 31 % of Black Caribbeans were weaned before 4 months compared with 16 % of South Asians. All BME groups were most influenced by weaning information from the previous generations of mothers in their families, which was associated with earlier weaning (21·5 (sd 6·5) v. 24·1 (sd 4·2) weeks; F(2,328) = 5·79, P = 0·003), and less so by professional infant feeding advice, which was associated with a later weaning age (23·7 (sd 5·1) v. 20·7 (sd 5·7) weeks; F(1,344) = 34·7, P < 0·001).

Lack of awareness of the Department of Health weaning guidelines is common among these BME populations, whose weaning behaviour is strongly influenced by informal advice. Further research is necessary to elucidate the influences on weaning in these populations and to facilitate the development of infant feeding support which is salient for BME groups in the UK.