Complementary Feeding Practices: Recommendations of Pediatricians for Infants with and without Allergy Risk

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Nutrition
• Allergy Prevention

Background:

• Complementary feeding (CF) timing is crucial for infant health and allergy prevention.
• Current evidence-based guidelines exist for CF strategies.
• Variations in pediatrician guidance may impact infant outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate pediatrician guidance on complementary feeding (CF) timing.
• To compare recommendations for healthy infants versus those at high allergy risk.
• To identify factors influencing pediatrician CF recommendations.

Main Methods:

• Anonymous online survey of 233 pediatricians.
• Questions covered demographics and CF recommendations.
• Specific guidance on food types, preparation, supplements, and introduction intervals.

Main Results:

• Specific introduction ages were recommended for various foods (e.g., fruits at 6 months, nuts at 9 months).
• Earlier introduction of allergens like eggs and grains was noted in high-risk infants by some pediatricians, particularly those in practice <15 years.
• Parenthood and male gender were linked to earlier introduction of eggs and grains.

Conclusions:

• Greek pediatricians utilize a structured CF schedule.
• A tendency exists to delay common food allergens and increase intervals between new foods for high-risk infants.
• Discrepancies in CF guidance persist among pediatricians, influenced by individual characteristics.