One in eight children between the ages of two and ten are obese in the UK, while studies have shown conflicting evidence as to whether fussy eating promotes obesity or the opposite. However, what we do know is that unhealthy eating habits are associated with an increase in weight in children and adolescents.
Could baby-led weaning be the answer?
Baby-led weaning (BLW) gained popularity from around 2008 as a method to introduce solid foods into babies' diets from six months old, weaning them off breast milk or formula as a primary nutrition source by 12 months of age and bypassing spoon-feeding and pureed foods. BLW also promotes self-feeding behaviour, allowing babies to learn movements required for eating, including pincer grip and choking reflexes.
The theory behind BLW is that by exposing babies to a range of foods and textures, they can more easily identify foods they like or dislike, as well as learn to regulate their own appetite. This allows babies to foster a healthier relationship with food and satisfaction that will carry on to later in their lives.
But what is the evidence supporting this?
There have not been many studies on BLW and its health benefits, especially longitudinal studies that look at the effects of BLW well into adolescence. In a self-report study in 2013, researchers found that BLW led to an improved response to fullness and that BLW babies were less likely to be overweight.
The babies were monitored from six months to two years old, so little can be said about the trajectory of their weight gain after this age.
A more recent study in 2022 on Polish babies found that babies fed by BLW were more likely to have an expanded diet from 6 months of age and were more often fed with food from the family table.
Eating food from the family table allows babies to be exposed to more foods that are often disliked by children who are picky eaters, such as fruits and vegetables.While there is limited data on the effect of BLW on fussiness in children, links have been drawn between a child’s dietary habits and food preferences into adulthood. Studies suggest that food pickiness in young children can hinder the development of taste for foods including fruits and vegetables. (A study in New Zealand found that babies following BLW had an increased variety in fruit and veg intake by age 2 compared to traditionally weaned babies).
Therefore, what evidence there is to date, suggests that BLW introduces a way for babies to develop taste for these foods prior to the onset of picky eating, which typically occurs around age three.
Chewing foods has been shown to help promote satiety and reduce food intake. It’s one of the reasons that so-called 'junk' foods are so moreish – because they’re typically soft – burgers, crisps etc – and don’t require prolonged chewing. Babies start to develop chewing reflexes at six months of age. As BLW bypasses purees, which don’t require chewing, it’s suggested that BLW is better for helping babies reinforce chewing behaviours, potentially strengthening brain circuitry involved in regulating the feeling of fullness at an earlier age.
If BLW is increasing in popularity, why are obesity rates rising?
There are several factors, not least the fact that so far we have limited conclusive studies on BLW and childhood obesity. Also, while medical professionals are becoming more aware of BLW (nearing 80 per cent in some countries), they are not necessarily recommending it. In the polish study, just 29 per cent of mothers were correctly implementing BLW; and in a French study 26 per cent of parents said they were implementing BLW, but only 7 per cent were implementing it to its full extent.
There are also various lifestyle changes which may be contributing to the rise in obesity among children, including reduced physical activity as a side effect of the pandemic, and the rise of accessible and affordable foods which are mostly high in fat and calories but low in nutrients.
Obesity is multi-factorial, and there is some evidence that eating behaviours in the first 1000 days of life are important in predicting a child’s risk of developing obesity. As a result, BLW looks promising for promoting healthy eating behaviour at an early age, but more long-term studies are needed to support this claim.
Katherine Mortimer is writer in residence at the Royal Institution, and a researcher on metabolism. This piece is part of the Royal Institution's focus on nutrition to complement this year's Christmas Lectures given by Dr Chris Van Tulleken.
Further reading
National Library of Medicine: Food related parenting practices…
Impact of a Modified Version of Baby-led Weaning on Dietary Variety…
Baby-led Weaning – progress in infant feeding or risky trend?
