When toddlers reach the age of two, many have established food preferences that can last a lifetime. So parents should do their best to get toddlers eating behaviors established early. In a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, they found that while toddlers eat vegetables, the number one choice is french fries.
The Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) was a large study of nearly 10,000 parents and caregivers of children age four and younger. Here are some of the shortfalls they found:
- Only 18% of infants, aged 6-12 months, get the recommended amount of iron.
- Less than 25% of infants get the recommend amount of vitamin D.
- Sodium intake is high. Of 1-year-olds, 40% exceed the upper limit of sodium; of children aged 2-3, 70-75% exceed the upper limit of sodium intake.
Learn more at https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/148/9S/1525S/5086686
