Healthy Nutritional Strategies
For the Best Start
September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, making it a great time to take a closer look at strategies that can help prevent this serious threat to children’s health.
Nearly 20% percent of young people in the United States ages 2–19 are obese. Today’s children are experiencing health conditions that were once considered primarily adult problems, such as elevated blood cholesterol levels, increased blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. When these conditions start in childhood, they can persist into adulthood and negatively affect life-long health.
Fortunately, parents can take many steps to help ensure their children get a healthy start in life, starting with routine prenatal care and healthy nutrition during pregnancy. Then, healthy nutrition during infancy and the toddler years can set the stage for better nutritional habits and maintaining a healthy weight throughout childhood.
Read on to learn five important facts and recommendations to help children get the best nutrition during infancy and toddlerhood.
Fact #1: Breastfeeding May Help Prevent Childhood Obesity
When compared with formula feeding, breastfeeding is linked with a decreased risk of childhood obesity. Breastfed babies are better able to control the amount of breastmilk they consume, helping them respond to internal cues for hunger and fullness. Studies suggest that children who were breastfed also have superior concentrations in their blood of leptin, a hormone thought to control hunger as well as levels of body fat.
Breastfed babies also may be more likely to try and accept new foods. Breastmilk includes flavors from the foods the mother eats, so a mother who eats a wide variety of healthy foods can influence her child’s tastes. Unlike breastmilk, the taste of formula never varies, which means a formula-fed infant does not get exposed to the variety of tastes that a breastfed baby experiences.
Fact #2: Exclusive Breastfeeding Is Recommended for the First 6 Months
For the first 6 months of life, it is recommended that a baby receive only breastmilk along with supplementation of vitamin D. As a totally natural, unprocessed food, breastmilk offers the most complete form of infant nutrition, contains antibodies that help protect babies from illness, and provides substances that are essential for optimal brain development. It even adapts naturally to meet a growing baby’s needs. Parents of breastfed infants should consult their healthcare professional to discuss any other specific nutritional needs while breastfeeding.
Our 100-sheet, two-sided
Why Should I Breastfeed My Baby? Tear Pad is an ideal resource for expectant and new parents. It covers the many reasons why breastfeeding is best for both babies and mothers and explains that exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first 6 months.
Fact #3: At About 6 Months, Complementary Foods Should Be Introduced
At about 6 months of age, it is recommended that babies be introduced to complementary foods (nutrient-dense foods that complement breastmilk) that are appropriate for their age and level of development so that they do not pose a choking hazard. It is not recommended that complementary foods be introduced prior to the age of 4 months. Offering complementary foods helps provide babies ages 6 months and older with necessary nutrition and introduces new tastes and textures that help influence food preferences. Children 6 months and older should be introduced to foods from each of the food groups, including foods rich in iron and zinc. Cow milk and fortified soy beverages should not be given in place of breastmilk or infant formula in a baby’s first year. After babies are 12 months old, they may consume unsweetened whole milk or fortified soy beverages to help meet nutritional needs.
Packed with information, our
Your Baby’s First Year Booklet explains that around 6 months is the recommended time to introduce complementary foods and how to know when a baby is ready to start complementary foods.
Fact #4: Added Sugar Consumption Should Be Avoided for Children Younger Than Age 2
For children younger than 2 years of age, it is recommended that all added sugars be avoided. Added sugars are the sugars or syrups that are added to foods during processing or preparation. Added sugars are different from the natural sugars that occur naturally in unprocessed foods, such as fruits, vegetables, milk, and some grains. Foods with natural sugars tend to have a high nutritional value and are often good sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Added sugars, however, provide extra calories and sweet flavoring without enhancing a food’s nutritional content. Introducing young children to foods high in added sugars may encourage them to develop a preference for sweet foods, which can contribute to empty calorie intake and the potential for overweight and obesity as they get older.
Because infants and young children consume only small amounts of complementary foods and beverages, what they consume needs to provide optimal nutrition, not the empty calories that added sugars provide. Too many added sugars in the diet can displace the nutrient-dense foods young children need.
Our
Sippy Cup of Sugar Display reveals one potential outcome of too many added sugars in a young child’s diet: tooth decay. The display features a model of decayed baby teeth inside a sippy cup full of sugary goo. The accompanying tent card explains that beverages are the largest source of added sugars in many young children’s diet and that added sugars should not be consumed by children younger than 2.
Fact #5: Young Children Should Have Limited Sodium
It is also recommended that children ages 6 through 11 months consume no more than 370 mg of sodium per day and children ages 12 through 23 months consume no more than 1,200 mg of sodium per day. Processed foods, such as some commercial toddler foods, processed meats, and salty snacks, may contain high amounts of sodium. Minimizing sodium intake can help prevent young children from developing taste preferences for salty foods. Sodium intake should be limited throughout the lifespan to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular problems.
The information contained in this newsletter article is not intended to replace the advice of a healthcare professional.
©2025 Childbirth Graphics®
