ABSTRACT
Keywords: complementary feeding, vegetables first, COVID-19, infant feeding : Vegetables are reportedly disliked and eaten infrequently by children. A 'vegetables first' approach to complementary feeding (CF) has been recommended to establish liking in early life. However, the UK Infant Feeding Survey (2010) reported that baby cereal was most often the first solid food offered. The present study explored the experience of CF, specifically when CF began, and which foods, why and in what form. The potential impact of COVID-19 on CF was also recorded. A mixed-methods approach was used: online survey, embedded questionnaires (AEBQ, CEBQ), and CF-specific questions. Parents were asked about milk feeding, and CF: when, why, which foods and how. Ninety-one parents completed the survey (89% mothers), and data from parents of infants aged 5-36m were analysed. Overall, 60% of mothers breastfed their babies for the first 3m (mainly or exclusively), solids were introduced at 5.7m, 66% offered mainly or exclusively homemade foods, 53% introduced vegetables as first foods, 34% combined finger foods and spoon-feeding. Carrot and broccoli were most frequent first vegetables offered, in pureed form. Exploratory thematic analysis revealed varied, complex reasons for when, which, why and how foods were offered, ranging from convenience to health considerations, and prior experience with other children. Most parents reported little impact of the pandemic on CF decisions but many reported changes to the family diet. In conclusion, within this small sample of parents, offering vegetables first was a common CF practice, and awareness of this approach was relatively high. However, this sample were well educated, with above average household income, thus the survey should be repeated with underserved households. Copyright © 2022
ABSTRACT
Few studies have investigated the influence of infant formulas made with added corn-syrup solids on the development of child eating behaviors. We examined associations of breastmilk (BM), traditional formula (TF), and formula containing corn-syrup solids (CSSF) with changes in eating behaviors over a period of 2 years. Feeding type was assessed at 6 months in 115 mother-infant pairs. Eating behaviors were assessed at 12, 18 and 24 months. Repeated Measures ANCOVA was used to determine changes in eating behaviors over time as a function of feeding type. Food fussiness and enjoyment of food differed between the feeding groups (p < 0.05) and changed over time for CSSF and TF (p < 0.01). Food fussiness increased from 12 to 18 and 12 to 24 months for CSSF and from 12 to 24 months for TF (p < 0.01), while it remained stable for BM. Enjoyment of food decreased from 12 to 24 months for CSSF (p < 0.01), while it remained stable for TF and BM. There was an interaction between feeding type and time for food fussiness and enjoyment of food (p < 0.01). Our findings suggest that Hispanic infants consuming CSSF may develop greater food fussiness and reduced enjoyment of food in the first 2 years of life compared to BM-fed infants.