Sets out the scientific rationale for the development of national nutrition and feeding recommendations for infants and young children in Europe. Although major emphasis is placed on recommended intakes for specific nutrients, the book also offers advice on a range of additional factors that contribute to good feeding practices and need to be addressed in national policies. Particular attention is given to conditions in countries of the former Soviet Union, where recommendations on infant nutrition and feeding practices are outdated and urgently require revision. Intended for use by policy-makers and nutrition experts in European countries, the book responds to a number of traditional dietary practices that have adverse effects on nutritional status, particularly in relation to iron deficiency anemia. Recommendations and advice also take into account mounting evidence that optimum infant and young child feeding can reduce the risk of some of the most prevalent adult diseases, including cardiovascular disease, in European populations. The book has twelve chapters. The first outlines nutrition-related health problems in young children and reviews what is known about feeding practices, duration of exclusive breast-feeding, and introduction of complementary foods in countries of the former Soviet Union. Subsequent chapters set out recommended nutrient intakes for energy and macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. To provide a standard for assessing the adequacy of diets, recommended nutrient intakes issued by the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and WHO are presented and compared. For each nutrient, recommended intakes are further explained through the inclusion of information on the nutrient's physiological function, food sources, requirements, and the health consequences of both insufficient and excessive intakes. A separate chapter is devoted to recommendations for the control of iron deficiency, which remains an important health problem throughout Europe. Breast-feeding and alternatives are covered in the most extensive chapter, which reviews the latest data on the many nutritional and non-nutritional benefits of breast-feeding, and discusses the importance of maternal nutrition, practical aspects of breast-feeding, and situations where alternatives may be preferable or necessary. Chapter eight, on complementary feeding, answers a number of questions about the physiological need for complementary foods, the timing of their introduction, and lists some of the best foods to prepare for infants. Subsequent chapters underscore the importance of caring practices as fundamental determinants of good nutrition and feeding and offer advice on the interpretation of measures of attained growth as a tool for assessing nutritional status. A brief chapter on dental health explains the need to limit the intake of sugar, provide daily tooth care, and ensure appropriate fluoride intake. The book concludes with a chapter on food safety, which includes advice on the prevention of diarrhea and food- and water-born diseases.

Feeding and Nutrition of Infants and Young Children (WHO Regional Publications. European Series) PDF

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