Nutritionally balanced

nutritionally balanced

Growth in the first year of life is characterized by major changes in body composition. Newborn children have small fat stores, but increase them significantly during the first year of life. The body's fat content is approx. 14% at birth and increases to approx. 23% at 1 year of age. The high fat content in breast milk accommodates the high growth rate. You can say that there is a transfer of fat deposits from the mother to the child. It is therefore physiological that children are round and chubby at the age of 1, and that in the following years they reduce their fat deposits and thus become slimmer. Children who are breastfed have a greater increase in body fat in the first 6 months and a greater increase in fat-free body mass from 6-12 months of age compared to formula-fed children (Gale 2012).

Reference: Nutrition for infants and young children - a handbook for health professionals

Energy requirements

Energy needs during the first year of life are significantly higher than later in childhood and in adults. Calculated using per kilo of body weight, the energy requirement in the first year of life is approx. 3 times greater than in an adult with sedentary work. Part of the explanation is that the child uses energy to grow. In the first months of life, approx. 20% of energy intake for growth. In particular, the growth of the brain and the build-up of large fat stores in the first months of life require a lot of energy. Infants must therefore need to have been supplied sufficient amounts of energy. If the energy intake is too low, it will affect the growth rate negatively.

At the age of 12 months, only approx. 5% of the energy requirement for growth.

Protein and Fat

Protein and fat: There are a number of studies that indicate that a high protein intake during the transitional diet period increases the risk of obesity later in childhood (Hörnell 2013, Michaelsen 2014, Nordic Council of Ministers 2014). In the Nordic nutrient recommendations from 2012, it is recommended that the protein intake for 6-11-month-olds is 7-15 E%, and for 12-23 month olds it is 10-15 E%.

The increased risk of obesity with a high protein intake is one of the reasons why the Danish Health Authority now recommends that you do not use cow's milk drinks until after the age of 12 months.

In contrast to protein, it appears that a high fat intake during the transitional diet period is not related to an increased risk of obesity later in childhood (Agostoni 2012). According to the Nordic nutrient recommendations 2012, the recommendations for fat intake in 6-11-month-olds are 30-45 E%, and in 12-23-month-olds 30-40% (Nordic Council of Ministers 2014). You should not go over the 40 E%, as this can lead to a risk that there is no room for a varied diet with all the nutrients that are necessary for the child.

Breast milk is characterized by a relatively low protein content (≈ 5 E%) and a high fat content (≈ 50 E%). In the first 2 years of life, a small child must gradually move away from the levels in breast milk towards the recommendations for adults, which for protein are 10-20 E% and for fat 25-40 E%.