Intervention Studies to Promote Diet Quality

Although complementary feeding comprises a number of interrelated exposures – timing (initiation, rate of progression); type of food (nutrients, taste, texture); process (repeated exposure, variety, self-feeding; and parent feeding practices (responsive feeding, structure) – research has largely been focused on timing and nutrients with relatively short-term outcomes assessments. Complementary feeding practices have largely been ignored in the literature. Prof Daniels presented the impact of complementary feeding in an obesogenic environment, dietary quality outcomes, data from the NOURISH trial and other interventions that include complementary feeding. Overall, NOURISH demonstrated that anticipatory guidance on the process of complementary feeding increased protective maternal feeding practices and reduced the risk of obesity. Nevertheless, evidence that these practices have long-term impact on dietary quality and eating behaviour outcomes are limited. More research on the ‘when, what and how’ of complementary feeding based on outcomes relevant to obesity and chronic disease risk is needed.