Canada Updates Recommendations for Health Professionals on Infant and Young Child Nutrition

28 Apr 2014 --- Health Canada, the Canadian Paediatric Society, Dietitians of Canada, and the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada today released a revised version of Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants: Recommendations from Six to 24 Months. This document provides detailed scientific guidance on infants and young children nutrition for health professionals to help support parents and caregivers.

Health Canada sought advice and guidance on the revisions from doctors, dietitians, nurses, researchers and parents through its external Infant Feeding Expert Advisory Group and through a stakeholder consultation in spring 2013.

The changes to the recommendations reflect the latest science since the last update in 2005 and support Health Canada's commitment to providing information that will help Canadians make healthier food choices for themselves and their families.

Health Canada encourages parents and caregivers to ask their healthcare providers about these revised recommendations.

Key recommendations in the document include:
•Support for continued breastfeeding after the introduction of solid foods.
•Supplemental vitamin D for infants and young children who are breastfed.
•Emphasis on iron-rich foods such as meats, meat alternatives, and iron-fortified cereals, and offering them a few times each day.
•Encouragement of practices such as self-feeding, the early offering of finger foods, and drinking from an open cup.
•Feeding infants and young children nutritious foods from family meals.

"A balanced, nutritious diet is essential to raising healthy children. This important guidance document for health professionals provides the most up-to-date information available on nutrition for infants and young children to ensure that little ones from six to 24 months get the healthy start they need," says The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health.

"The first few years of a child's life play a vital part in establishing healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime. These updated guidelines will help physicians provide guidance to parents on how to make decisions on nutrition that will contribute to their child's healthy growth and development," says Dr. Jeff Critch, Chair of the Canadian Paediatric Society Nutrition and Gastroenterology Committee. The Canadian Paediatric Society

"The practical details are important to parents. As a dietitian, I use this 'NHTI' information so I can give parents specific, clear options about feeding their children, based on the best scientific evidence," Becky Blair Registered Dietitian and Public Health Nutritionist, at Dietitians of Canada.

"This statement highlights the importance of supporting mothers and families to continue breastfeeding their children beyond infancy and well into toddlerhood.  The Baby-Friendly Initiative and the World Health Organization Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes are recognized as key in providing support to increase the duration of breastfeeding," was a statement from The Breastfeeding Committee for Canada.