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SALT LAKE CITY -- Pediatricians have long told parents to wait until at least four months to start their baby on solid food. But a new study found a link between obesity at 3 years old and the introduction of solid foods before four months.
Utah's WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program nutrition coordinator, registered dietitian Phyllis Crowley says the research makes sense. She wishes pediatricians would prepare bottle-feeding parents ahead of time for just how much formula they're going to need over those first six months.
- Included 847 children
- At age 3, 9% were obese
- Breastfed infants - no association between timing of solid-food introduction and odds of obesity
- Formula-fed infants -- sixfold increase in odds of obesity if solid foods introduced before 4 months
"Unfortunately, I see moms turning to early solids because they're running out of formula, and maybe they haven't planned ahead, and they haven't thought about putting back some extra money to buy extra formula," Crowley said.
She said there are also some old wives' tales out there that can lead new parents astray, such as advice to feed a young baby solid foods because it will help him sleep through the night. The science, she points out, doesn't back that up.
The research in Monday's edition of the journal Pediatrics found there was no link between when solid foods are introduced to breastfed babies and obesity at 3 years old.
Crowley says it's one more reason for pediatricians to encourage new mothers to give breastfeeding a try.
"Look at the impact and the protective effect of breastfeeding," she said.
Of course, not all mothers are able to breastfeed, and Crowley says if you have to choose bottle-feeding, waiting until six months to introduce solid foods is best for a variety of reasons. Developmentally, of course, a young child just isn't able to feed himself.
"But also, that early introduction of solid food, before four months, can pre-dispose to allergies," Crowley said.
E-mail: bbruce@ksl.com
