Month: March 2013

Recent results of the Diet and Nutrition Survey of Infants and Young Children (DNSIYC), commissioned by the Department of Health (DH) and the Food Standards Agency, reveal a proportion of toddlers are consuming more energy in food than they need.

Together with research carried out by the Infant & Toddler Forum (ITF), showing 77 per cent of parents have never received clear advice about toddler portions and only 16 per cent of parents answered a question on toddler portion sizes correctly, it is clear there is still more to be done to address and educate on toddler portion sizes.

Judy More, paediatric dietitian and member of the ITF, commented: “This DH report indicates that about 30 per cent of young toddlers, monitored during the study are in fact consuming more calories than they need. Nearly a third (31 per cent) of children aged 2-15 years are overweight or obese and over 90 per cent of the excess weight in nine year old girls and over 70 per cent in nine year old boys is gained before the child ever gets to school age. These statistics underpin the importance of focussing on education in early years nutrition if we are to avoid putting children at risk of obesity and other long-term conditions in later life. The number of calories toddlers need varies depending on their size and how active they are. When parents have no clear, accessible guidance on what sized portion is suitable for their child they serve toddlers whatever food and portion sizes they consider suitable. Often inappropriate high calorie low nutrient foods are served which toddlers tend to overeat. Parents/carers may exacerbate the problem by insisting their toddlers eat more food when they have clearly indicated they have had enough”.
“Large portion sizes, particularly of energy-dense foods, are one of the key contributing factors to obesity on children. The ITF aims to offer evidence-based advice to support families and has resources such as the award-winning Portion Sizes for Children 1-4 Years guidance which won first prize for the CPHVA/Unite Annual Professional conference best practice poster award.”

Portion Sizes for Children 1-4 Years is a free online resource that can be used as a practical, everyday guide on how much food and drink to offer infants to support them towards long-term health. It aims to reassure and equip parents with information that they are able to offer a balanced diet using these portion sizes and then allow toddlers to eat to their appetite.

The full Factsheet for practitioners, Portion Sizes for Toddlers 1–4 Years, were updated in line with the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition revisions [Sept 2012] on recommendations for energy intake in the UK.

Portion Sizes for Children 1–4 Years is available as a free download from www.infantandtoddlerforum.org.

ENDS

Notes to editors

The 2013 Infant & Toddler Forum Study Day for practitioners is taking place on the 31st October at The Royal Society of Medicine, London.

The Infant & Toddler Forum brings together an independent, multi-disciplinary team of experts and practitioners from paediatrics, neonatology, health visiting, dietetics, and child psychology, to share new ideas and to debate the latest thinking in infant and toddler nutrition. Best practice guidance on food and feeding for all young families is paramount for children’s health and wellbeing now and in the future. For more than eight years the Forum and its partners have strived to raise awareness and promote positive change in the field of toddler nutrition and feeding behaviour, with all guidance being in alignment with DH increased emphasis on early years intervention.

The Infant & Toddler Forum is supported by an educational grant from Danone Baby Nutrition. All resources produced by the Forum represent the independent views of the Forum with whom copyright rests.

‘[Recognise] families with children are an asset for the future’ is a message at the heart of 4Children’s new #Fair4Families campaign. In advance of the Budget 2013 statement, the campaign calls for action to be taken to support families with children as an ‘investment in the future of our country’. The Infant & Toddler Forum (ITF) very much supports this campaign, with a shared call for the improvement of health outcomes for young children.

It is now widely accepted that what happens to children in their earliest years is key to outcomes in adult life with good parenting and the opportunities for learning and development recognised as key in determining whether a child’s potential is realised. Furthermore, the reality of health in Britain today paints a compelling picture with many at risk of dying prematurely due to diet related ill-health.

Dr Atul Singhal, Professor of Paediatric Nutrition at the UCL Institute of Child Health and Chair of the ITF, said: “Although some early intervention strategies are in place to tackle health and social inequalities, it is clear that more investment is needed if we are to ensure all children get the best start in life. We are supporting 4Children in this campaign to highlight the current impact of poor nutritional and physical health in children. Early nutrition needs to be considered a key element if early intervention strategies are to be effective.

This year the Forum is encouraging a step wise approach to nutrition placing the emphasis on simple, practical advice so that families can take small steps towards better health and well-being improvements now and in the future.”

Visit www.4children.org.uk to read more about #Fair4Families and make that first step and visit the ITF website to access our latest ‘back to basics’ advice for toddlers www.infantandtoddlerforum.org

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Notes to editors

1. The 2013 Infant & Toddler Forum Study Day for practitioners is taking place on the 31st October at The Royal Society of Medicine, London.

2. The Infant & Toddler Forum brings together an independent, multi-disciplinary team of experts and practitioners from paediatrics, neonatology, health visiting, dietetics, and child psychology, to share new ideas and to debate the latest thinking in infant and toddler nutrition. Best practice guidance on food and feeding for all young families is paramount for children’s health and wellbeing now and in the future. For more than eight years the Forum and its partners have strived to raise awareness and promote positive change in the field of toddler nutrition and feeding behaviour, with all guidance being in alignment with DH increased emphasis on early years intervention.

3. The Infant & Toddler Forum is supported by an educational grant from Danone Baby Nutrition. All resources produced by the Forum represent the independent views of the Forum with whom copyright rests.

4. Alongside other leading children and families charities the Infant & Toddler Forum is supporting the Fair4Families campaign. As the cost of food, petrol and childcare continues to rise – while child benefits and tax credits are reduced – many families are struggling financially. To ensure that families are made a priority in the 2013 Budget and Comprehensive Spending Review later in the year, the campaign is calling on the Government to introduce a ‘triple lock’ for families. To find out more about the triple lock and the Fair4Families campaign, please visit www.4children.org.uk/Page/Fair4Families and show your support by signing the petition at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/45054

A nutritionally balanced diet containing a combination of different foods is one of the foundations of child health, with poor diets leading to obesity, dental decay, iron deficiency and constipation; all common in UK toddlers. The Infant & Toddler Forum’s New Factsheet and Guidance & Tips Meals, Snacks and Drinks for Toddlers provides a practical overview of what foods and drinks to offer and how to combine foods from the five food groups to create nutritious meals.

This latest guidance, states that young children are unlikely to consume enough energy and nutrients in just three meals per day and therefore need two or three planned nutritious snacks per day in addition to their meals. A recent study of about 4,000 French 5- 7 year old children, published in Public Health Nutrition1, found that the few that did not follow a meal routine including a daily breakfast and two planned snacks were more likely to be overweight or obese. Grazing on high calorie foods may have substituted for eating breakfast and planned snacks.

Judy More, paediatric dietitian and ITF member explained, “The foods eaten by children in the UK have changed substantially over the last few decades. With less time spent preparing food at home and with a widening range of convenience foods available it can be difficult for families to make informed decisions about feeding toddlers. Today’s parents and carers may, understandably, be uncertain or confused about which foods to offer their young children to protect their health. This new Factsheet for practitioners working with families with toddlers and the accompanying Guidance & Tips for parents provides handy advice, daily meal plan examples and meal suggestions helping take the guesswork out of how best to feed toddlers.”

Take that first step and visit the ITF website to access our latest ‘back to basics’ advice on Meals, snacks and drinks www.infantandtoddlerforum.org

ENDS

Notes to editors
The 2013 Infant & Toddler Forum Study Day for practitioners is taking place on the 31st October at The Royal Society of Medicine, London.

The Infant & Toddler Forum brings together an independent, multi-disciplinary team of experts and practitioners from paediatrics, neonatology, health visiting, dietetics, and child psychology, to share new ideas and to debate the latest thinking in infant and toddler nutrition. Best practice guidance on food and feeding for all young families is paramount for children’s health and wellbeing now and in the future For more than seven years the Forum and its partners have strived to raise awareness and promote positive change in the field of toddler nutrition and feeding behaviour, with all guidance being in alignment with DoH increased emphasis on early years intervention.

The Infant & Toddler Forum is supported by an educational grant from Danone Baby Nutrition. All resources produced by the Forum represent the independent views of the Forum with whom copyright rests.

1. Thibault H, Carriere C, Langevin C, Déti E Barberger-Gateau P, Maurice S. Prevalence and factors associated with overweight and obesity in French primary school children. Public Health Nutr. 2013; 16: 193-201.

Experts call for a back to basics approach to early years nutrition to help all families take small steps towards life-long health

As evidence continues to mount, supporting the need to embed early childhood nutrition in all aspects of family, child and health policy, the Infant & Toddler Forum (ITF) is going back to basics in 2013 to deliver clear, consistent, messages on healthy eating. Its aim is to help families instil healthier attitudes in their children for lifelong health, one small step at a time; through a practical-based programme of every-day tips on which foods to offer and which behaviours to encourage as early on as possible.

The stark reality of health in Britain today could not be more compelling, with a whole generation at risk of dying prematurely due to diet related ill-health. Obesity is a major public health issue for all but with over 90 per cent of the excess weight in 9 year old girls, and over 70 per cent in 9 year old boys, gained before the child ever gets to school age, it’s clear public health education should focus on the early years if we are to make a difference. In addition, the number of children developing diabetes has rocketed in recent years, making it the fastest growing childhood disease.

The EarlyBird Diabetes Study1 found that the seeds of diabetes are sown very early in life and that left unchecked, one in five children born today will develop diabetes.

It’s not just about overweight and obesity. Dental decay is also a major concern; over 30 per cent of children in the UK will have dental decay by the time they are five years old. In addition, vitamin D deficiency is on the increase with the resurgence of rickets in the toddler age group. Yet, the Demos For Starters report highlighted that nearly three quarters (73 per cent) of mothers reported they had never been advised to give a vitamin supplement to their baby or toddler, despite it being an official government recommendation that babies aged six months plus should have vitamin drops with vitamins A, C and D.

Dr Atul Singhal, Professor of Paediatric Nutrition at the UCL Institute of Child Health and Chair of the ITF, said: “We are clearly in a position of needing to balance the risks of excess and the risks of deficiency. We know what happens to children in their earliest years is key to health outcomes in adult life. We also know that making lifestyle changes can be a challenge. Unhealthy behaviours develop over the course of time, so replacing unhealthy behaviours with healthy ones requires time. The Forum is encouraging a step wise approach to nutrition this year placing the emphasis on simple, practical advice so that families can take small steps towards better health that are impossible not to achieve.”

Judy More, paediatric dietitian and ITF member explained, “Many parents are anxious and confused about healthy eating for toddlers we want to encourage all families to take that first step. Providing practical advice, guidance and education is paramount in helping families get on the right track. Our programme this year will cover key topics such as healthy meal, snack and drink options, active play and developmental milestones for food and feeding. The Forum’s annual Study Day will offer health and childcare professionals the opportunity to explore how they can help and motivate families to make changes.”

Finally, the ITF are committed to encouraging wider adoption of its Ten Steps for Healthy Toddlers. Through working with key partners and stakeholders in the early years arena, the initial results from the national rollout programme are encouraging. The Ten Steps initiative was highlighted as best practice guidance in the Demos For Starters report is a ‘promising tool to support early years practitioners to work with young children and their parents to support healthy eating’.

Take that first step and visit the ITF website to access our latest ‘back to basics’ advice on Meals, snacks and drinks www.infantandtoddlerforum.org

If you have press office enquiries, please contact Claire Johnson, on 020 8971 6419 cjohnson@saycomms.co.uk

Notes to editors

The 2013 Infant & Toddler Forum Study Day is taking place on the 31st October at The Royal Society of Medicine, London.

New Factsheet and Guidance & Tips, Meal’s, Snacks and Drinks, provides a practical overview of what foods and drinks to offer and how to combine foods from the five food groups to create nutritious meals.

The Infant & Toddler Forum brings together an independent, multi-disciplinary team of experts and practitioners from paediatrics, neonatology, health visiting, dietetics, and child psychology, to share new ideas and to debate the latest thinking in infant and toddler nutrition. Best practice guidance on food and feeding for all young families is paramount for children’s health and wellbeing now and in the future For more than seven years the Forum and its partners have strived to raise awareness and promote positive change in the field of toddler nutrition and feeding behaviour, with all guidance being in alignment with DoH increased emphasis on early years intervention.

The Infant & Toddler Forum is supported by an educational grant from Danone Baby Nutrition. All resources produced by the Forum represent the independent views of the Forum with whom copyright rests.