Related Experiment Videos
Are current dietary guidelines for young children a prescription for overfeeding?
A M Prentice1, A Lucas, L Vasquez-Velasquez
1MRC Dunn Nutrition Unit, Cambridge.
Insights
New research indicates young children require less energy than previously thought, based on doubly-labeled water measurements. Current dietary guidelines may need revision to prevent infant overfeeding.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Human Nutrition
- Metabolic Research
Background:
- Established dietary guidelines for infant energy intake are based on older methodologies.
- There is a need for updated energy requirement estimates in young children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine accurate energy requirements for healthy infants aged 0-3 years.
- To compare new estimates with current recommended dietary allowances.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the doubly-labeled water (2H2(18)O) method to measure total energy expenditure.
- Combined energy expenditure data with energy deposition during growth.
- Included a sample size of 355 healthy infants aged 0-3 years.
Main Results:
- Derived new energy requirement estimates: 110, 95, 85, 83, 83, 84, and 85 kcal/kg/day at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, and 36 months, respectively.
- These values are substantially lower than current DHSS and FAO/WHO/UNU recommendations.
- Infant feeding practices appear to be a significant factor in the observed reduction.
Conclusions:
- Current dietary guidelines for infant energy intake may overestimate requirements.
- Reappraisal of dietary guidelines is suggested to prevent potential overfeeding.
- Updated energy requirement data supports evidence-based infant nutrition recommendations.
Abstract:
New estimates for the energy requirements of young children have been derived by combining the energy deposited during growth with measurements of total energy expenditure obtained by use of the new doubly-labelled water (2H2(18)O) method in 355 healthy infants aged 0-3 years. The resultant values of 110, 95, 85, 83, 83, 84, and 85 kcal/kg/day at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, and 36 months, respectively, are substantially lower than current Department of Health and Social Security and FAO/WHO/UNU recommended dietary allowances. Evidence from diet surveys suggests that changes in infant feeding practices are largely responsible for the apparent reduction in energy requirements. Dietary guidelines may need to be reappraised, to avoid overfeeding of infants.