Exclusively breast-feeding babies over 4 months old may not be the best solution…
Exclusively breast-feeding for the first six months of a baby’s life is apparently not the ‘cure-all’ solution it is thought to be. At least this is the finding of a British study published in the British Medical Journal which calls into question breastfeeding exclusively over the age of 4 months for babies born in developed countries.
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According to the study authors, not diversifying a baby's diet after the age of four months could cause deficiencies and may limit adaptation to new tastes.
Contradicting WHO breast-feeding advice
In 2001, the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued precise recommendations about infant nutrition: only breastfeed for the first six months of the child’s life. While two thirds of EC Member States decided not to follow these recommendations, the United Kingdom aligned its practices with this advice in 2003, with the risk of creating a generation of children suffering deficiencies.
As the study authors remind us, these recommendations for baby feeding are first and foremost directed towards under-developed countries which do not necessarily have access to sufficient drinking water or fresh foods and where infant mortality rates are still very high. Breast milk in this case is the best alternative.
Exclusive breast-feeding: increased risk of iron deficiency, allergy or obesity?
In order to find out whether the WHO recommendations also applied to young Britons, Marie Fewtrell, paediatric consultant at UCL Institute of Child Health in London, and her colleagues re-examined the issue in the light of new information gathered during the last ten years. They concluded that it was high time we re-evaluated the WHO recommendations, despite the fact that they are based on systematic studies of babies during the last decade.
While exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life has a correlation with lower levels of infection and a normal growth curve, Fewtrell is concerned about the higher risk of iron deficiency, anaemia and the increased risk of various food allergies appearing over time.
According to the study authors however, these deficiencies are not the only impact of exclusive breastfeeding. In their opinion, it is safe to diversify a baby’s diet and to introduce certain solid foods once the baby has completed four full months of life.
This diversification apparently prepares young babies’ palates to new tastes (especially bitter tastes), which are essential for accepting green vegetables in the future and therefore indirectly combat obesity.
For the study authors, the UK needs to review its infant nutrition recommendations, or risk seeing the country faced with increased obesity in the new upcoming generation.
Source: "Six months of exclusive breast feeding: how good is the evidence?”, Mary Fewtrell, David, C Wilson, Ian Booth, Alan Lucas, British Medical Journal, January 2011.
Copyright © 2011 Doctissimo
Posted 21.02.2011
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