New research suggests that children who are spoon-fed as babies are more likely to become overweight or obese, the Independent reports, as their bodies may not be able to recognize when they are full as they begin to transition to solid foods.
"Our study indicates that taking a baby-led approach to weaning may reduce a baby's risk of being overweight as they are in control of their food intake," Amy Brown of Swansea University said in a press release. "This results in the baby being better able to control his or her appetite which could have a long-term impact upon weight gain and eating style that may continue into childhood."
The new study, published by the journal Paediatric Obesity, also suggests that children who are spoon-fed are more likely to become picky eaters. When they feed themselves, they are naturally exposed to more tastes and less likely to be "fussy" with food. The study assessed the eating habits of 298 babies and how they were introduced to solid foods between the ages of six to 12 months, their eating habits and behaviors then compared to when they were between 18 and 24 months.
So-called "baby-led" meals were more successful in preventing overweight and finnicky toddlers than those that were spoon-fed, researchers found, as the babies had better appetite control and learned to eat at their own pace as opposed to being fed by a carer.
"Allowing the child to regulate their own appetite and not pressurizing them to eat more than they need is a really important step in encouraging children to develop healthy eating patterns for life," said Brown.
