NEW YORK (AP) – Parents now have an extra reason to say no to candy, cake and ice cream for young children. The first dietary guidelines of the US government for infants and young children, launched on Tuesday, recommend feeding only breast milk for at least six months and without added sugar for children under 2 years.
“It’s never too early to start,” said Barbara Schneeman, a nutritionist at the University of California, Davis. “You have to take into account every bite in those early years.”
The guidelines stop at two key recommendations from scientists advising the government. These counselors said in July that everyone should limit their added sugar intake to less than 6% of their calories, and men should limit alcohol to one drink a day.
Instead, follow the guidelines above: limit added sugar to less than 10% of calories per day after the age of 2 years. And men should limit alcohol to a maximum of two drinks a day, twice as much as is recommended for women.
“I don’t think we’re done with alcohol,” said Schneeman, who led a committee advising the government on guidelines. “We still have to learn.”
Dietary guidelines are issued every five years by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. The government uses them to set standards for school lunches and other programs. Some important moments:
Infants, young children and mothers
Babies should only have breast milk at least until they are 6 months old, the guides say. If breast milk is not available, you should receive iron fortified infant formula in the first year. Babies should receive extra vitamin D that starts immediately after birth.
Babies can start eating other foods at about 6 months of age and should be introduced to potential allergenic foods along with other foods.
“Introducing foods containing peanuts in the first year reduces the risk of an infant developing a food allergy to peanuts,” the guidelines say.
There are more tips than in previous guides for pregnant and breastfeeding women. To promote healthy brain development in their children, these women should eat between 8 and 12 ounces of seafood a week. They should be sure to choose fish – such as cod, salmon, sardines and tilapia – with lower levels of mercury, which can damage children’s nervous systems.
Pregnant women should not drink alcohol, according to the guidelines, and breastfeeding women should be careful. Caffeine in modest amounts seems safe, and women can discuss this with their doctors.
Alcohol and men
In July, scientific advisers suggested that men who drank alcohol should limit themselves to one serving a day – a 12-ounce can of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a liquor drink. Tuesday’s official guidelines ignored this, keeping advice for men on two drinks a day.
Dr. Westley Clark of the University of Santa Clara said it was appropriate. Heavy drinking and excessive drinking are harmful, he said, but the evidence is not as clear for moderate drinking.
Lowering the limit for men would probably be socially, religiously or culturally unacceptable to many, Clark said, which could have negative effects for the rest of the guidelines.
“They have to be acceptable to people, otherwise they will reject it directly and we will be worse off,” he said. “If you lose the public, these guidelines have no merit.”
More careful scientific research is needed on the long-term effects of low or moderate drinking levels, he said.
What’s on the plate?
Most Americans do not follow the best nutrition tips, contributing to obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Many of the new tips sound familiar: load your plate with fruits and vegetables and reduce sweets, saturated fats and sodium.
The guidelines suggest making small changes that add: Replace plain crushed wheat with matte cereal. Choose canned low-sodium black beans. Drink sparkling water instead of soda.
“It’s really important to make healthier choices, at every meal, every day, to develop a healthy eating pattern,” said Pam Miller of the Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service.
There is an app to help people follow the guidelines available on the government’s My Plate website.
Read labels
The largest sources of sugars added to the typical US diet are soda and other sugary drinks, desserts, snacks, candy and sweetened coffee and tea. These foods contribute very little to nutrition, so the guidelines recommend limits.
The label “Nutritional Facts” on packaged foods contains information about added sugar. Information on saturated fats and sodium is also on the label.
Associated Press writer Marion Renault of Rochester, Minnesota, contributed.
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