Feeding practices in infancy and fruit and vegetable consumption in childhood
Food preferences are formed in infancy and track into adulthood. Early childhood, particularly the first 1000 days, is therefore a window of opportunity to establish healthy dietary preferences. More particularly, breastfeeding and the introduction of complementary foods can set taste preferences and shape attitudes towards food (De Cosmi, 2017; Hetherington, 2016; Barends, 2019). The health benefits of a diet rich in fruit and vegetables are very well documented with a clear consensus about their role in risk reduction of chronic diseases. However, their intake remains insufficient in many countries like the UK and the USA (Boeing, 2012).
The aim of the present study is to explore associations between feeding practices during infancy (breastfeeding and complementary feeding) and the frequency and variety of fruit and vegetables consumption.
Breastfeeding was associated with higher variety and frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption in childhood
In this study, infants who were breastfed for less than 6 months consumed less variety of fruit and vegetables during childhood compared to those who were breastfed for 6 months.
In addition, being breastfed for less than 6 months was associated with lower frequency of fruit intake during childhood compared with being breastfed for 6 months. However, no association was observed with the frequency of vegetable intake.
Introducing first fruit or vegetables during complementary feeding was associated with higher frequency and variety of fruit and vegetable consumption in childhood
The introduction of complementary foods has a key role in setting healthy eating behaviours, as infants begin to learn tastes and textures.
According to this study, first complementary food introduced to infants was associated with the frequency of fruit and vegetable intake during childhood. In fact, children who received fruits or vegetables first ate vegetables more frequently on average than children given cereals, while those given fruit (but not vegetables) ate fruit more frequently than children given cereals.
Furthermore, children who were given vegetables (but not fruit) as their first complementary food in infancy ate a wider variety of vegetables on average than those who were given cereal. On the other hand, children who were given fruit first ate a wider variety of fruit than those who were given cereals.
Supplementing breastfeeding was not associated with fruit and vegetable consumption (frequency and variety), compared with exclusive breastfeeding to 6 months
Mean fruit and vegetable frequency as well as fruit variety were identical for children who were supplemented with solids and/or formula and those who were breastfed. Mean vegetable variety was slightly higher for children who were exclusively breastfed compared with children who were supplemented, but the difference was not significant. These findings suggest that supplementing breastfeeding with solids and/or formula before 6 months was not associated with any differences in fruit and vegetable frequency and variety during childhood, compared with exclusive breastfeeding.
- Infancy is an important window of opportunity for dietary intervention, as feeding practices can shape food tastes and preferences.
- Stronger evidence was found for the role of complementary feeding than for breastfeeding on childhood fruit and vegetable intake.
- Guidance to parents on infant feeding could encourage a vegetables-first approach or at the least encourage the use of fruit and vegetables rather than cereal at the early stages complementary feeding.
Based on: Moss KM, et al. Associations between feeding practices in infancy and fruit and vegetable consumption in childhood. Br J Nutr. 2020;124(12):1320-1328.