Breastfeeding, food choices, restrictive diets, and nutritional fads

In the past year, a number of studies were published that illustrated the importance of dietary choices at all ages and singled out pediatricians as useful and vociferous advocates for healthy nutrition in children. Obesity continues to top the list as a major threat to the health of children and adults worldwide and is increasingly being recognized as a direct result of inappropriate nutritional intake. Parental misperceptions and misinformation about their children's diets beginning in infancy and stretching into the college-age years may represent prime targets for pediatricians ready and able to provide guidance. There are more reasons than ever to encourage breastfeeding and more formal studies to help direct the various stages of transition to adult eating habits after infancy. On the other hand, parents must be encouraged to take a well-balanced and reasonable approach to their children's food choices, lest we see increasing evidence of unnecessary nutritional deficiencies.