Suitable nutrition in children is critical to development. It has long been recognised that under-nutrition can lead to faltering growth, however, there is also increasing concern over the rising number of children who are overweight and classified as obese. Babies initially receive all their nourishment through exclusive milk feeding, either breast or bottle, but this soon becomes nutritionally inadequate and needs replacing with solid foods. This process of weaning onto a solid diet can be a stressful time for parents. Conflicting messages from family, friends and healthcare professionals make it difficult for parents to decide how best to introduce solid foods into their child’s diet. This article looks to provide an overview of infant nutrition with a particular focus on weaning and the current evidence surrounding the process.
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