Recent research has shown that babies weaned on home-cooked fruit and vegetables rather than ready-prepared baby foods are more likely to eat fruit and vegetables as they grow up.
The study revealed that babies who were fed home-cooked or raw fruit or home-cooked vegetables were associated with a higher consumption and variety of fruit and vegetables in children aged seven.
Weaning babies on ready-prepared fruit and vegetables, the sort found in baby food jars and packet, had no positive effect on consumption of fruit and vegetables later in life.
Specialist, Dr Coulthard said: 'The range and type of foods that young children eat is becoming an increasing cause for concern, in particular children do not seem to be eating the amounts of fruit and vegetables recommended for health. In 1998 the average intake of fruit and vegetables in young children in the UK was two and half portions a day. There have been and continue to be many initiatives to increase this figure to the recommended five portions a day.
Unlike ready prepared baby food, home cooked fruit and vegetables vary in taste and texture according to whether it is in season and how it is cooked. Therefore, infants fed home-cooked fruit and veg are exposed to a wider range of tastes and textures, increasing the likelihood they will accept a wider range of foods in the future.
It was also discovered that the age of introduction and the frequency of exposure to home-cooked vegetables has an effect on the child's intake as they get older.
Babies weaned earlier, between four and six months, and who were fed fruit and vegetables regularly, were likely to eat more fruit and veg at seven years old.
The World Health Organisation recommends weaning at six months. But the study showed that babies weaned at around six months had a lower level of consumption of fruit and veg at seven years of age. Also, babies given fruit and vegetables less frequently had a lower consumption at seven years of age.
Infants who were introduced to home-cooked vegetables at a later age but given them more frequently had better levels of intake aged seven.
So, mothers who wean their babies at a later age should give them a variety of fruit and vegetables frequently to provide their child with a wide varitey of tastes at this important time.
During the early weaning period it is crucial to introduce a range of fruit and vegetables.
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