Food texture experiences across nine age groups in Indian infants from urban areas

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nutrition
• Infant Feeding Practices
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Complementary feeding significantly shapes lifelong dietary habits.
• Limited data exists on age-related food texture acceptance in young Indian children.
• Understanding texture preferences is crucial for successful complementary feeding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between age and food texture experiences in Indian infants and young children (4-36 months).
• To describe texture acceptance patterns during the introduction of complementary foods in urban Indian settings.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional, face-to-face parental survey was conducted with 306 children across 9 age groups.
• Children were categorized by age from 4 to 36 months.
• Parental reports on acceptance/rejection of 16 different food textures were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Textures like 'dissolvable', 'sticky', and 'soupy/liquidy' were accepted by over half of 4-5-month-olds.
• 'Soupy/liquidy' textures are more common than 'pureed' in India; 'pureed' foods were introduced later (8-9 months).
• Younger infants (4-36 months) were more likely to reject 'rubbery', 'slippery', and 'foods with skin' textures, with rejection decreasing as age increased.

Conclusions:

• Age significantly influences food texture acceptance in Indian children during complementary feeding.
• Early acceptance of simpler textures like 'soupy/liquidy' is common, while more complex textures are introduced and accepted later.
• Findings offer valuable insights for parents and healthcare providers navigating texture progression in infant diets.