Infant Nutrition’s Value and Importance
Infant nutrition is critically important, as an infant typically triples his birth weight and increases his length by 50% in the first year of life alone! Without proper nutrition, this stage of enormous growth can be jeopardized. With this in mind, answer the questions below.
What are the energy (kcal) and protein requirements for an infant from age 0-6 months and 6 months to 1 year? How does this compare to your energy and protein intake? You will need to figure out your kcal and protein intake as g/kg/day to make this comparison.
The diet of an infant, prior to solid food introduction, consists of either breast milk or formula. When mothers make the choice of what to feed their child during this time, what factors come into play? For example, some cultures may be more accepting of breast feeding than others.
At what point is solid food recommended to be added to an infant's diet? Nutritionally speaking, why is this? Each infant is different, so how can it be determined when a certain infant is ready for solid foods?
During the first year of life, what are appropriate foods and beverages to serve to an infant? Are there any foods or beverages that should be avoided during this time?
Infant Nutrition’s Value and Importance
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A 0 to 6-month-old infant must consume 1.52 grams (gr) of protein per kilogram (kg) of body weight daily. Additionally, they need approximately 108 kilocalories (kcal) per kg of body weight per day (Fenton et al., 2020). This is in addition to the daily requirement of 1.52 gr of protein per kg of body weight. Additionally, 108 kcal is the caloric a healthy adult should consume daily. Between 6 months and one year, the body requires approximately 98 kilocalories and 1.2 gr of protein per kg daily.
Because they are at very different stages of growth, babies and adults, have very different dietary needs. Infants need more calories and protein per kilogram of body weight than adults because they are growing and developing quickly. An infant’s daily energy intake is usually between 100 and 120 kcal/kg, while an adult’s is 25 and 30 kcal/kg. Infants need between 1.5 and 2.5 gr of protein per kg of body weight per day