Nearly one fifth of infants do not get enough iron in their diets, according to a new Nestlé study.
Almost 20% of infants aged between six and 12 months fall short of the necessary amount of the mineral, the latest Nestlé Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) has shown, while less than 10% of 1-3 year olds consume enough dietary fibre or potassium – nutrients that are important for a child’s development and overall health.
The study also found that many infants do not consume a single discrete serving of either fruits, vegetables, whole grains or dairy on a given day.
French fries remain the most common source of vegetables for children aged 2-3 years.
Wendy Johnson, vice-president – nutrition, health and wellness for Nestlé USA, said: “Good nutrition during a child’s early years is particularly critical because it sets the stage for healthy eating throughout life. The latest FITS data confirms that more work is needed to improve the diets of young children, and gives us insight into areas we must focus on to foster healthy eating habits.”
Started in 2002 by Gerber and now conducted by the Nestlé Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, FITS is the largest dietary intake study in the US focused on infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers. It forms part of the company’s Healthier Kids initiative, which commits to helping 50 million children lead healthier lives by 2030.
The effect of children failing to consume enough iron is widely accepted, but by quantifying the extent of the deficiency Nestlé hopes to be able to influence parents’ behaviour. It said the release of the data was “well-timed to inform food policy discussions, including the development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 and reconsideration of the benefits offered in the WIC food package which was last revised in 2009”.
Dr Ryan Carvalho, medical director for Gerber, added: “While academic organisations and the public health community have invested significantly in improving children’s food choices amid the obesity epidemic, the conversation needs to start earlier, with focused efforts on infants and young children through education and interventions with proven benefits. We know that good nutrition and healthy eating habits in the first 1,000 days can have a lifelong impact on health.”
The state of play
Less than 25% of infants under 12 months get enough vitamin D.
Less than 10% of those aged 1-3 years got enough dietary fibre or potassium.
About 75% of 2-3 year olds exceed the upper limit for sodium.
The FITS study found that less than a quarter of those aged 1-3, as well as a similar proportion of infants under 12 months, got enough vitamin D. Less than 10% of 1-3 year olds consumed adequate levels of dietary fibre or potassium, the study added.
About 75% of infants exceeded the upper limit for sodium, more than 60% exceeded guidelines for the amount of saturated fat in their diet, and about 30% of 1-year-olds and 45% of 2-3 year olds drank sugar-sweetened beverages on any given day, with fruit-flavoured drinks being the most common.
It was not all bad news, though: compared to 2002, the proportion of toddlers eating fruit has increased, and the number drinking 100% fruit juice has also risen.
Breastfeeding initiation and duration has improved, with more children than ever being breastfed (83% in 2016, compared to 76% in 2002), and 25% continuing to receive breastmilk past their first birthday. This compares to only 14% in 2002.
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