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SALT LAKE CITY — Introducing infants to solid foods too soon can have harmful side effects, which is why a new study saying many babies are eating solids earlier than recommended is disturbing to health care professionals.
Published in the March journal of Pediatrics, a study by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 40.4 percent of mothers introduced their babies to solid foods before they reached four months of age. Nine percent of the 1,334 participants started feeding their infants solid foods as early as four weeks. The current recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics is six months, with an emphasis on breast milk.
Participants varied in milk feeding type: breast milk, formula and a mix of both.
The study did not look at the feeding habits of the infants' fathers.
The top three reasons mothers gave for moving in to solid food were:
- 89 percent: "My baby was old enough to begin to eat solid food."
- 71 percent: "My baby seemed hungry a lot of the time."
- 67 percent: "My baby wanted the food I ate or in other ways showed an interest in solid food."
Other reasons included the baby's weight, helping the baby sleep, advice from friends and relatives, and, most concerning to the study authors, healthcare professional advice.
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In addition to age, holding their head up by themselves, putting objects to their mouth and making chewing motions, losing the "extrusion reflex" to push food out of their mouth, and significant weight gain (for a total weight of 13 pounds or more) are several signs that a baby is ready to eat solid foods.
Starting solids too early, according to the Mayo Clinic, can pose the risk of aspiration, cause a baby to get too many or too few calories, and increase a baby's risk of obesity.
In the CDC study, researchers said some of the foods fed to infants included chicken, peanut butter, eggs, fish and even French fries, in addition to food generally recommended by pediatricians.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends gradually introducing simple foods like single-grain cereals, fruits, and vegetables first, watching for evidence of allergies. They also recommend parents continue to feed their baby breast milk until at least age 12 months.
