Nutrition

Breastfeeding for a minimum of 2 months has a significant protective effect against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), almost halving the risk of its occurrence.

For Contemporary Pediatrics, Dr Bobby Lazzara discusses a recent prospective birth cohort study published in Pediatrics that looked at different feeding methods for infants and whether the methods had any link to asthma.

Diarrhea, abdominal pain, and flatulence following ingestion of milk or products containing milk are common complaints in pediatric practices. The pediatrician needs to be aware of the management of lactose intolerance to help guide a reasonable workup and plan.

A longitudinal study examined the relationship between prenatal or postnatal high-fat, high-sugar diet and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children who demonstrated either early-onset persistent conduct disorder or minimal conduct problems.

Sales of nutritional supplements continue to rise, and available data indicate that use of these products is fairly common within the pediatric population.

The protective effects of breastfeeding against infections and overweight are reduced or eliminated by antibiotic use early in life, according to a retrospective study in 226 5-year-old Finnish children, almost all of whom had been breastfed for at least 1 month.

In May 2016, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the revamping of the rules for the “nutrition facts” label box on packaged foods, the first major such overall in 20 years.

Nutritional deficiencies may play a role in the development and/or perpetuation of migraines in children, according to a new study, but further research is needed to determine if supplementation would help.

Do you really want to supersize that baby? Bottle size is significantly associated with the volume of formula an infant consumes.

Patients often want to make big changes to improve their health. However, there often is a disconnect between wanting to make a change and the ability to carry the change through and make it a habit.

The popularity of gluten-free diets continues to grow as people increasingly turn to diet as a way to manage copious symptoms from gastrointestinal disturbances, which can range from headaches to skin rashes, behavioral problems, and psychological difficulties.

Both mode of delivery and feeding method are significantly associated with intestinal microbial community composition, according to a study in 102 full-term infants, whose gut microbiota investigators analyzed using stool samples taken at the age of 6 weeks.

Although sweeping changes to school lunch programs a few years ago were-and still are-contested, a new study reveals that the new lunch standards have resulted in better nutrition delivered through less calories.

Results of a recently published study show higher intake of food-based vitamin D by expectant mothers reduces the risk of childhood allergic rhinitis.

Breastfeeding mothers can supply enough vitamin D in their milk to satisfy their infants’ requirements by taking 6400 IU of vitamin D each day, a 6-month randomized trial among mothers of exclusively breastfed babies showed.

Breastfeeding may not make smarter babies, according to a new report from the UK, but CDC says it still makes healthier babies overall and hospitals have more work to do in order to provide optimal support for nursing mothers.

Malnutrition among pediatric patients is an ongoing problem that is often underdiagnosed. A new report examines alternate methods for recognizing malnutrition beyond anthropometric percentiles.

Although nearly 80% of mothers initiate breastfeeding, only 50% of mothers are still breastfeeding at 6 weeks, and less than 15% are exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months.

Low vitamin D levels can play a role in sudden, unexplained deaths.

A study conducted in 264 3- to 4-year-old children who were attending daycare in China found that those who drank an experimental follow-up formula (FUF) had fewer and shorter episodes of acute respiratory infection (ARI) than children who consumed an unfortified cow’s milk-based beverage.

Children who eat a diet similar to the Mediterranean diet are 15% less likely to be overweight or obese than children who don’t, researchers reported at the 2014 European Congress on Obesity.

Using guidelines issued by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), about 1 in every 10 US children is at risk of vitamin D inadequacy and about 1 in 20 is at risk of deficiency, according to a new report. These figures are drastically lower than previous estimates.

The interim final rule on infant formula quality and nutrition announced recently by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will set standards going forward.

There is growing evidence that nutrition may play a role in managing symptoms of autism in some children. Here is a look at the current research supporting these nutritional interventions.

Only 12% of uninsured parents take breastfeeding classes, according to a new poll.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently published an interim final rule, revising its infant formula regulations to help ensure the quality of these manufactured foods.

Compared with whites, blacks consistently have lower levels of total vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) and elevated levels of parathyroid hormone (considered a sensitive marker of vitamin D deficiency), often leading to a diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency.

Girls approaching puberty may need to avoid a diet high in saturated animal fats to reduce their chances of developing breast cancer later in life.

Does vitamin D reduce acute otitis episodes in children who are prone to them?

Although vitamin D insufficiency is associated with anemia in healthy US children, threshold levels vary with race, a new study finds.