INCOME & EDUCATION AFFECT WHAT BABIES EAT

The difference between what the rich and poor eat in America begins long before a baby can walk, or even crawl. Researchers at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Studies found considerable differences in the solid foods babies from different socioeconomic classes were being fed. Specifically, they found diets high in sugar and fat to be associated with less educated mothers and poorer households, while diets that more closely followed infant feeding guidelines were linked to higher education and bigger bank accounts.

Foods higher in sugar and fat are relatively inexpensive, which could be a reason why low-income mothers are more likely to feed infants those foods, the researchers noted. These diets not only contribute to larger weight increases in infants, they also can negatively affect a child’s eating habits, food preferences, and health in the long term.

Source: Washington Post, 11/4/14, Infant Diets