As happened two years ago, alarms have been raised again because babies and very young children (95.9 percent of them), continue to consume more protein than recommended. It is the main conclusion of the Alsalma 2.0 study, which has made the result public this week.
This is the continuation of Alsalma 1.0, and the pilot study in Anales de Pediatría (October last year) had already come to light. The sample includes almost 2000 children, and the research is the first in our country that analyzes the nutritional habits of children between 0 and 36 months. It seems that we are “hyperalizing” children, and in the opinion of Dr. Vicente Varea (of the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu), one of the main coordinators of the study, we are not doing very well. It is true that 70 percent follow the Mediterranean diet, but also that care must be taken with the times that fast food is ingested.
Generalized misinformation causes the fact that In the houses the amount of adequate food is not offered, although as a cause it is also possible to point to the lack of time. It is not to be taken lightly, because the increase in protein consumed, directly involves an increase in body mass. The BMI at birth of Spanish babies, conforms to WHO standards, however when growing they move away from the ideal.
As a recommendation to introduce the child to a balanced diet, The pattern of starting from the sixth month with foods rich in iron and “good fat” is indicated, and encourage the consumption of fruits, that it is not possible to substitute juices. It is necessary to take the blame exclusively on meat from excess protein, because cow's milk (which is an important source) is being introduced too soon (and should not be done until age 12).
It turns out that historically it has been believed that children should eat the same as adults but in smaller quantities, and this is not so, since we do not grow uniformly during the first months of life. That is to say in each phase different nutrients are necessary, attending to the organs that are developed at that time. An example: during the first two years, the bones lengthen, therefore more calcium is needed.
It is also true that so far health professionals have been focusing on fats
On the other hand I have emphasized the need for supplement with vitamin D, beyond the year of life of the little ones, although in this regard I wonder if it is not enough for me to have the sun for a little while in the morning, it would be a matter of one of the experts in the field leading us in the most appropriate option.
And if deficit is detected in the intake of this vitamin between 13 and 36 months, when they are even smaller (seven to 12 months), they have excess of vitamin A.
This study has been carried out within the educational program "Feeding the health of tomorrow" of the company Danone Nutricia, and has been carried out by 200 Spanish pediatricians.
