FSAI: Infants are not 'small adults'

A doctor with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has said that health problems that affect many adults in Ireland may be down to how they were fed as babies.

A scientific report published today by the FSAI highlights key recommendations to improve the nation’s baby feeding patterns and nutrition.

The authority's 'Scientific Recommendations for a National Infant Feeding Policy in Ireland' report is based on research into infant feeding practices in Ireland and the latest international scientific opinion.

It states that emerging evidence worldwide shows good nutrition during pregnancy and throughout an infant’s first year, can have a significant positive impact on health throughout a person’s life.

According to Dr Mary Flynn, Chief Specialist Public Health Nutrition at the FSAI, Ireland has the lowest breast feeding rates in Europe.

She also said that an estimated 71% of babies are being weaned from milk onto solid foods too early and foods that should never be part of an infant’s diet - such as crisps, chocolate pudding and soft drinks - are being given to some babies as young as six months old.

Dr Flynn said: "It is now recognised worldwide that the first 1,000 days of a human’s life - starting at conception and ending at age two years, presents a unique opportunity to shape healthier futures.

"We now know that health problems (including heart disease, diabetes and obesity) that affect many adults in Ireland today may be partly due to the inadequacy of their mother’s diet during pregnancy and how they were fed as babies – especially during the first year of life.

"Infants are not 'small adults' and good feeding practice is quite a complex process."

Ms Ita Saul, Chair of the FSAI Expert Working Group which produced the report, states that breastfeeding has tremendous potential to protect babies’ and mothers’ health.

Ms Saul said: "During the first year of life, babies triple their birth weight and double their surface area making this a period of very rapid growth which is never repeated during the lifecycle. More work needs to be done to increase the numbers of babies being breastfed in Ireland today and to improve weaning practices in terms of when solid food is first introduced and what types of foods are used. "

The FSAI said that, in Ireland, breastfeeding rates continue to remain low and this new report provides guidance on how to address new and emerging issues such as the need to supplement all infants from birth with vitamin D to prevent rickets and special guidance on the safe preparation of powdered infant formulae to prevent foodborne illness.

They also said the spiralling prevalence of childhood obesity, now known to affect toddlers, has its origins in poor infant feeding practices.