So is this going to get pediatricians to stop telling parents they NEED to introduce cereal first? I hate hearing from parents that they trust their doctor's advice when the doctor is so obviously NOT up-to-date on current nutrition research :( And nothing you tell them, no study you share with them, is enough to get them to realize they put their trust in the wrong person.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

http://www.aapconvergence.com/Highlight.aspx?id=49&p=2

Guidelines for Introducing Foods to Infants Being Developed
The traditional diets of infants could change in the near future with the development of guidelines for introducing complementary foods, which are expected to call for an earlier introduction of meat in the infant's diet. At present, 80 percent of US infants are receiving complementary foods by six months of age.

Proposed changes in nutrition recommendations will be discussed Oct. 17 during the NCE session "Throw Out the Rice Cereal — New Recommendations for Complementary Feeding of Infants and Toddlers" (X1004.)

"This is more about the science of complementary feeding rather than the tradition of complimentary feeding," said Frank R.Greer, MD, FAAP. "We have always started with rice cereal because it is hypoallergenic. But to be truthful, it is not a great source of nutrients, particularly for the infant who has been exclusively breastfed. It is much better to get that with meat. In addition, there is growing evidence that the earlier introduction of ‘allergic' foods does not promote food allergy and may even prevent it."

Dr. Geer, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin, and the former chair of the AAP Committee on Nutrition and the co-author of guidelines for complementary feeding that are underdevelopment, said he would address the following topics in his presentation:

What is the scientific basis for the present introduction of complementary foods?
Red meat is the nutrient-rich food that biologically may be best as the first complementary feeding for infants.
What is the rationale for introducing vegetables before fruits, and does this really influence infants' food preferences?
What are the advantages to the early introduction of complementary foods that have allergic potential, including those associated with food allergy?
What strategy for the introduction of complementary foods would have the greatest impact on childhood obesity?

"Our present methods of complementary food are totally based on tradition, rather than scientific research," Dr. Greer said in discussing why the Academy is developing nutrition guidelines. "For example,exclusively breastfed infants need iron and zinc, of which the best source is red meat, typically the last food group introduced to infants."