Why spoon-fed babies are more likely to become obese

Infants should feed themselves during transition from liquid to solid foods to prevent them from overeating, researchers suggest.

17:28 08 January 2014

A recent study claims that babies who are spoon-fed by their parents during weaning have higher chances of becoming overweight as they tend to overeat.

For this reason, researchers from Swansea University suggested to allow babies to feed themselves during transition from liquid to solid food to fight obesity.

The researchers also concluded that children who lead the feeding are more likely to be exposed to more tastes and as a result are less likely to be picky eaters.

Dr Amy Brown, a researcher who worked on the project, said: “The 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."

She added: “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.”

“Responsive feeding, which means allowing the child to regulate their own appetite and not pressurising them to eat more than they need, is a really important step in encouraging children to develop healthy eating patterns for life,” Brown said.