Diet Detective: Nutrition News You Can Use: #Finger Foods for #Babies
For Babies, Finger Foods May Be Better than Pureed Food
According to a study by researchers at The University of Nottingham, England, “Babies who are weaned using solid finger foods are more likely to develop healthier food preferences and less likely to become overweight as children than those who are spoon-fed pureed food.”
The babies in the finger-food group preferred carbs such as fruits and vegetables, whereas the spoon-fed group was mostly interested in sweets.
The results of the study suggest that “infants weaned through the baby-led [finger food] method learn to regulate their food intake in a way which leads to a lower BMI and a preference for healthy foods” such as fruits and vegetables. The full report, “Baby knows best? The impact of weaning style on food preferences and Body Mass Index in early childhood in a case-controlled sample,” can be found at http://bmjopen.bmj.com/
