Finger food may help babies avoid obesity

LONDON Infants outgrowing a liquid diet who give themselves finger food rather than being spoon-fed puree are likelier to eat healthily and avoid getting fat during weaning, reports a study released Tuesday. 

    Researchers found that the technique, known as "baby-led weaning," led to a child expressing a clear preference for pasta, rice and other carbohydrates over sweets, thus helping to cement a foundation for eating the right foods. 
    Experts and parents alike have long debated over when and how to help an infant make the transition from mother's milk to a solid-food regimen. 
    Many studies have already concluded that self-feeding with finger food is fine for most infants. 
    But what impact this approach might have on longerterm taste preferences and a child's overall health has until now been less clear. 
    The finger food works because it accustomises the kids to the textures of what they will be eating later. 
    Being overweight in infancy is an early risk factor for obesity in later life. AFP