Journal
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION
Volume 116, Issue 1, Pages 111-121Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqac080
Keywords
infants; weaning; introducing vegetables; food preference; vegetable intake
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Funding
- Massey University
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Providing vegetables as the first food for infants starting complementary feeding can increase their acceptance and intake of vegetables. This may be an effective strategy for improving child vegetable consumption and developing preferences for vegetables.
Background Starting complementary feeding (CF) with vegetables only may improve vegetable acceptance throughout childhood. Objectives We aimed to test whether exposure to vegetables only during the first 4 wk of CF increases later vegetable acceptance compared with a control group receiving fruit and vegetables. Methods In this randomized, controlled, parallel-group study, 117 Auckland infants received either vegetables only (veg-only, n = 61) or a combination of fruit and vegetables (control, n = 56) for a duration of 4 wk, starting from the first day of CF at similar to 4-6 mo of age. The primary outcome measure was intake of target vegetables (broccoli, spinach) provided by the study at 9 mo of age. Daily intake of vegetables (FFQs) at 9 mo was a supporting measure. Infants' iron status (serum ferritin, hemoglobin) was examined at all time points. Results The veg-only infants consumed more broccoli and spinach than controls [mean difference (95% CI): 11.83 (0.82, 22.84) g, P = 0.036 and 10.19 (0.50, 19.87) g, P = 0.039, respectively]. Intake of pear was comparable among intervention groups (P = 0.35). At 9 mo, veg-only infants consumed target vegetables at a faster rate [mean difference (95% CI): broccoli, 3.37 (1.26, 5.47), P = 0.002; spinach, 4.12 (0.80, 7.45), P = 0.016] and showed greater acceptance for target vegetables [mean difference (95% CI): broccoli, 0.38 (0.07, 0.70), P = 0.019; spinach, 032 (0.04, 0.60), P = 0.024] than controls. The rate of eating and acceptance of pear was comparable among intervention groups (P = 0.42 and P = 0.98, respectively). Also, veg-only infants consumed more vegetables than controls [86.3 (52.5, 146.3) compared with 67.5 (37.5, 101.3) g, respectively, P = 0.042]. Introducing vegetables as the first food was not associated with 9-mo iron status. Conclusions Providing vegetables as first foods increased vegetable intake at 9 mo of age and may be an effective strategy for improving child vegetable consumption and developing preferences for vegetables in infancy.
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