Public Health France unveils new recommendations on food diversification for children from 4 months to 3 years old.
- Today, 17% of French people are obese (including 6% of children aged 8 to 17).
- Massive obesity has practically doubled in a decade, going from 1.1% in 2009 to 2% in 2020, and now concerns more than one million French people.
Public Health France has formulated, with the support of health and early childhood professionals, new dietary recommendations for parents of children under 3 years old. “They have been the subject of several studies with parents and health professionals, in order to ensure their understanding and accessibility”, say public health experts.
8 recommendations
Here’s what they recommend:
– possibility of introducing all the food groups, including foods known to be allergenic, from the start of diversification, ie between 4 and 6 months.
– Introduce new textures from 6-8 months (about 2 months after the start of diversification).
– Do not hesitate to offer a food up to 10 times, a baby may need time to appreciate it.
– Systematically add fat to homemade preparations or those on the market that do not contain any.
– Introduce sweet products at the latest possible age and in a limited way.
– Trust the child’s appetite and pay attention to signs of fullness.
– Do not force a child to eat.
– Be attentive to the meal environment, in particular avoiding the presence of screens.
A long-term impact
Dietary diversification is a fundamental stage in a child’s life. “Indeed, the educational practices of parents, relatives and more broadly of the social environment will contribute to the acceptance by the child of new foods during the period of diversification and will have an influence on his way of eating. on the long term”, explains Public Health France. “Listening to and observing the child to adapt the diet to his development are essential”, concludes the health agency.
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