Role of complementary foods in the development of children’s food preferences and nutritional status

Objective. To evaluate the influence of different patterns of complementary feeding on the formation of nutritional behavior and nutritional status in children between 6 and 12 months old. Patients and methods. The study included 86 practically healthy children; the duration of observation was 10.65 ± 3.65 weeks. Children in the study group (n = 46) received only commercially produced complementary foods; children in the comparison group (n = 40) received both commercially produced and homemade foods. In the study group, parents accurately followed the recommendations on the order, timing, and amount of introduction of complementary foods. Tolerance and nutritional behavior were assessed using specially designed questionnaires. The dynamics of nutritional status against the background of complementary feeding were evaluated. Results. Most of the children tolerated the introduced complementary food products, both commercially produced and homemade, and had average parameters of physical development and nutritional status. Skin manifestations of food allergy (19.6% in the study group, 17.5% in the comparison group) to the following commercially produced complementary foods were revealed: dairyfree buckwheat porridge and any milk porridge, cauliflower, pumpkin, zucchini; and to homemade foods: fish, strawberries, pumpkin. Dyspepsia in the form of increased/decreased frequency of defecation was detected in 13 and 22.5% of children in the study group and comparison group, respectively. Uncontrolled introduction of complementary foods in the comparison group (early introduction of fruit or berry puree, milk porridge, cottage cheese) was accompanied by a 3.5-fold increase in the number of children with excess body weight during the observation period. Rapid substitution of one product with another when a child refused to eat the complementary food product did not allow a positive attitude towards new foods to be formed. In the study group, 10 (66.6%) out of 15 children with an initially negative attitude towards complementary foods agreed to eat the previously unpreferable product, in the comparison group – 1 child out of 4 (p < 0.05). Conclusion. The timing and order of introducing complementary foods is essential for children to develop proper eating behavior and optimal food preferences. Key words: food preferences, complementary foods, breastfeeding, eating behavior