Research based at Harvard University and the University of Illinoisfound that non-parental care, including by childminders or familymembers, means that an infant is less likely to be breast-fed and morelikely to start solid foods early.
The researchers assessed 8,150 infants aged nine months from the EarlyChildhood Longitudinal Study, a nationally representative cohort. Thefactors they examined were breastfeeding initiation, early introductionof solid foods (at under four months), and weight gain from birth tonine months.
Juhee Kim, co-author of the report, said, 'This study is the first toreport, to our knowledge, showing the potential importance of infantchildcare on infant nutrition and growth.'
Professor Kim, a community health professor from the University ofIllinois, said, 'More weight gain is a reflection of unwanted calorieintake. Considering the studies telling us that food consumption of USinfants and toddlers is not meeting so-called healthy eating standards,we can speculate that the quantity and quality of food consumption arequestionable. These problems start from infancy, which is a sensitiveperiod of developing food preference and obesity.'
Professor Kim said that the age of three to six months is a transitionalperiod from formula or breast milk to real food, and those startingchildcare during this period will experience a wider variety of food,which may contribute to more weight gain.
'Childcare workers should introduce solid foods later to infants andinform parents to do the same,' said Professor Kim. 'Childcare providersalso need to participate in nutrition education/training programs tounderstand the importance of starting solid foods, transition frombreast-milk or formula to foods, and how to implement practices toensure a healthy eating environment.'
Further information
'Association of Infant Child Care with Infant Feeding Practices andWeight Gain Among US Infants' is in the July issue of Archives ofPediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.