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© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Objective: Most wet commercial infant foods are now sold in squeezable ‘pouches’. While multiple expert groups have expressed concern about their use, it is not known how commonly they are consumed and whether they impact energy intake or body mass index (BMI). The objectives were to describe pouch use, and determine associations with energy intake and BMI, in infants and young children. Methods: In this observational cross-sectional study of 933 young New Zealand children (6.0 months–3.9 years), pouch use was assessed by a questionnaire (‘frequent’ use was consuming food from a baby food pouch ≥5 times/week in the past month), usual energy intake using two 24-h recalls, and BMI z-score calculated using World Health Organization standards. Results: The sample broadly represented the wider population (27.1% high socioeconomic deprivation, 22.5% Māori). Frequent pouch use declined with age (infants 27%, toddlers 16%, preschoolers 8%). Few children were both frequent pouch users and regularly used the nozzle (infants 5%, toddlers 13%, preschoolers 8%). Preschoolers who were frequent pouch users consumed significantly less energy than non-users (−580 kJ [−1094, −67]), but infants (115 [−35, 265]) and toddlers (−206 [−789, 378]) did not appear to have a different energy intake than non-users. There were no statistically significant differences in the BMI z-score by pouch use. Conclusions: These results do not support the strong concerns expressed about their use, particularly given the lack of evidence for higher energy intake or BMI.

Details

Title
Frequent Use of Baby Food Pouches in Infants and Young Children and Associations with Energy Intake and BMI: An Observational Study
Author
McLean, Neve H 1 ; Bruckner, Bailey R 1 ; Heath, Anne-Louise M 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Haszard, Jillian J 2 ; Daniels, Lisa 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Conlon, Cathryn A 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; von Hurst, Pamela R 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Beck, Kathryn L 4 ; LA Te Morenga 5 ; Firestone, Ridvan 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; McArthur, Jenny 6 ; Paul, Rebecca 4 ; Cox, Alice M 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Jones, Emily A 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Katiforis, Ioanna 1 ; Brown, Kimberley J 4 ; Casale, Maria 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Jupiterwala, Rosario M 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Rowan, Madeleine M 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Wei, Andrea 4 ; Fangupo, Louise J 3 ; Healey, Megan 5 ; Pulu, Veisinia 5 ; Neha, Tia 7 ; Taylor, Rachael W 3 

 Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand; [email protected] (N.H.M.); [email protected] (B.R.B.); [email protected] (J.M.); [email protected] (I.K.); [email protected] (M.M.R.) 
 Biostatistics Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand; [email protected] 
 Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand; [email protected] (L.D.); [email protected] (A.M.C.); [email protected] (L.J.F.); [email protected] (R.W.T.) 
 School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition, Massey University, Auckland 0632, New Zealand; [email protected] (C.A.C.); [email protected] (P.R.v.H.); [email protected] (K.L.B.); [email protected] (R.P.); [email protected] (E.A.J.); [email protected] (K.J.B.); [email protected] (M.C.); [email protected] (R.M.J.); [email protected] (A.W.) 
 Research Centre for Hauora and Health, Massey University, Wellington 6140, New Zealand; [email protected] (L.T.M.); [email protected] (R.F.); [email protected] (M.H.); [email protected] (V.P.) 
 Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand; [email protected] (N.H.M.); [email protected] (B.R.B.); [email protected] (J.M.); [email protected] (I.K.); [email protected] (M.M.R.); Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand; [email protected] (L.D.); [email protected] (A.M.C.); [email protected] (L.J.F.); [email protected] (R.W.T.) 
 School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140, New Zealand; [email protected] 
First page
3165
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20726643
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3110644288
Copyright
© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.