Children’s eating patterns seem set in infancy

Healthful eating early in life pays dividends later

CBC News Posted: Sep 02, 2014 3:02 PM

ETLast Updated: Sep 02, 2014 10:16 PM ET

Interesting article about a recent supplement of the Journal Pediatrics which included 11 U.S. government funded studies that tracked the eating patterns of about 1,500 individuals.

Highlights include:

• infrequent intake of fruits and vegetables during late infancy was associated with infrequent intake of those foods at six years of age.
• researchers suggested that parents and caregivers get babies interested in fruit and vegetables by late infancy, between 10 and 12 months.
• repeated exposure to foods increases acceptance.
• parents should lead by example by eating all food groups.
• infant feeding does help predict some health outcomes later in childhood, such as some infectious diseases and childhood obesity, but not others like food allergies.

Original source:

Pediatrics

September 2014, VOLUME 134 / ISSUE Supplement 1

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/134/Supplement_1.toc