At around six months of age, when energy and nutrient needs exceed those provided by breastfeeding alone, healthy breastfed infants should start receiving nutritious complementary foods to meet them. Iron-rich foods should be gradually introduced with meals or snacks at regular intervals (ideally meal/snack time).
Complementary foods
Complementary foods (CF) refers to any additional food a baby eats beyond breastmilk or formula. Complementary foods should be introduced around 6 months of age when their nutritional needs begin surpassing what can be provided through breastfeeding alone. They should be safe, adequate, nutritious and introduced in such a way as to promote proper growth and development in an infant.
Traditional homemade child food (CF) often fails to meet the theoretical nutrient needs of young children in low-income countries, due to low iron, zinc, and calcium content of recipes made with starchy roots such as maize. Furthermore, poor feeding practices contribute significantly.
To ensure adequate child feeding (CFs), commercially fortified food products are the optimal way to go; however, this can be challenging in low-income countries and thus nutrition education and frontline health worker support are key. A few well-designed randomized controlled trials have demonstrated how these interventions can increase intakes and growth among children aged 6-23 months.
Supplements
Health experts agree that weight loss starts with healthy eating habits, reduced caloric intake and an increase in physical activity. Many people use dietary supplements in an attempt to reach their weight loss goals faster. Supplements may provide vital vitamins or nutrients not found elsewhere in your diet – before making any decisions based on these supplements consult a medical provider first.
In the United States, dietary supplements are overseen by the FDA. This body oversees how they are produced, labeled and promoted; additionally it monitors for any unsafe products which could potentially enter the marketplace and can take steps to remove them from sale.
Rather, report it directly to the FDA if you experience an adverse event from taking dietary supplements. A single adverse event report could help the agency identify dangerous products and block their sale into the marketplace. FDA’s Web site offers links to resources about regulation and safety standards related to dietary supplements.
Foods to avoid
Foods that are thick and solid typically provide more kilocalories (energy) than soft, watery or thin options. Furthermore, thick food helps prevent microbial contamination of its constituent parts, which could otherwise lead to food spoilage or spoilage of beverages.
At approximately six months old, most infants can begin eating complementary foods. This is an appropriate timeframe as infants are already actively exploring their environment and potentially exposed to harmful microorganisms through soil or objects long before beginning solid foods.
Early stages of feeding typically consist of pureed foods; as children grow and become better at chewing, they can begin self-feeding themselves small pieces of soft food – this practice is known as baby-led weaning (BLW). Before 4 months old it is recommended to limit solid foods that could potentially obstruct breathing due to being narrower than their esophagus such as whole fruit, vegetables and meats that could potentially choke them – this includes whole fruit, vegetables and meats.
Foods to enjoy
Feeding infants and young children healthy food presented in an enjoyable manner can help them develop healthy eating patterns that continue well into adulthood. By scheduling complementary feeding appropriately, parents can foster long-term healthy habits related to eating that will carry over into adulthood.
Nutritionally-balanced complementary food items are also crucial. While observational studies have demonstrated that homemade meals tend to lack certain essential vitamins and minerals, recent randomized controlled trials have proven otherwise; in fact, homemade dishes made by caregivers can often contain more nutrition when the appropriate ingredients are utilized.
Energy density of complementary foods can be increased through foods like mashed vegetables, whole grain cereals and pulses; adding GLV increases their iron and vitamin C content. A recent randomized trial where mothers of 4-6 month-old infants received guidance on introducing culturally appropriate vegetables as the first complementary food or usual care was completed and showed higher acceptance and intake rates compared to controls (Fildes et al. 2015).
