The new dietary recommendations for children from 4 months to 3 years old have been evaluated by parents… And they don’t understand them all.
- The advice that parents are most willing to put into practice is educational.
- Trusting your child’s appetite, for example, is part of this advice.
A little over a year after the publication of the updated dietary recommendations for children 4 months to 3 yearsthe results ofa parent survey have just been made public. Thus, eight groups of four to five parents had to answer questions about their appreciation and understanding of these new dietary recommendations. As a result, they remain skeptical of certain advice.
Parents surprised by some recommendations
First of all, parents find it difficult to understand that the addition of fat is recommended in homemade preparations or in small jars that do not contain it. Indeed, for several years, the advice in terms of public health has been to reduce fat, as well as sugar and salt… Moreover, honey would also be beneficial for young children, which amazed parents. .
The authors of the recommendations consider that babies should be exposed from their fourth month of life to allergenic products. According to Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF)“u“An allergen is a substance that triggers an allergy, a set of reactions of the body’s immune system following contact, ingestion, or even inhalation in the case of a food allergen”. The aim is therefore for babies to be exposed early so that they develop a better tolerance, which once again surprised the parents interviewed.
Adjust dietary recommendations to family practice
It is also recommended to give, as soon as possible, cereal products and pulses to children because, in addition to being allergenic, they also contain fibers and vegetable proteins which are very interesting from a nutritious point of view.
Another thing that raised questions for parents: the possibility of alternating between growing-up milk and UHT whole cow’s milk from the age of one, whereas the latter was previously not recommended at this age. In addition, natural whole milk yogurts can also replace specialized milk formulas. The updating of these two recommendations for mass-market products is nevertheless good news for many because they cost less than specific products for children.
“These qualitative surveys are essential before launching prevention campaigns among the population.explains to Science and Future Corinne Delamaire, author, in charge of scientific expertise in public health and who participated in this project. They make it possible to readjust the message according to the actual practices of the families“.
