Bright babies are what they eat

Under-estimating the digestive abilities of infants and taking too long to introduce babies to a broad and varied diet can have long-term effects on their brain development, according to a Brisbane doctor.

"The first few years of life are crucial for brain development, yet many mothers wean their babies onto cereal then take months to slowly expand their diet," says Associate Professor at the University of Queensland's Department of Paediatrics and Child Health and Director of the Children's Nutrition Research Centre at the Royal Children's Hospital, Associate Professor Geoffrey Cleghorn.

"In fact, from a digestive point of view, babies can tolerate a wide variety of foods at a very early age, and should be introduced as soon as possible to foods that contain the nutrients necessary for early brain development."

Associate Professor Cleghorn's research in the area, recently the topic of a lecture tour throughout Asia, supports the theory that nutritional deficits in infancy can retard brain development.

"Breast milk is the gold standard for infant nutrition, but after six months the baby's diet should be supplemented with a broad variety of foods suitably pureed and prepared," he said.

"The old saying ?we are what we eat' is very true because by the second year of life a person's brain is 80 percent its adult size."

Associate Professor Cleghorn said foods containing iron, zinc and fatty acids were important elements of a well balanced infant diet. Research has also shown that babies introduced early to a broad diet are less likely to develop childhood eating and behavioural problems.

The University of Queensland was named Australian University of the Year in 1998 and is a recognised leader in medical and health-related research and teaching.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Geoffrey Cleghorn telephone 07 3365 5329.