Give babies iron and calcium from six months: science body

04-Oct-2017 - Last updated on 04-Oct-2017 at 15:13 GMT

SACN’s advice is for the first year of life

Complementary foods for babies should be encouraged from around six months of age and should include iron- and calcium-containing foods, a draft report from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) has recommended.

However, in view of higher than recommended salt (sodium chloride) and sugar intakes in the first year of life, there was a need to re-emphasise the risks associated with adding salt and free sugars to infants’ food during the complementary feeding period, it found.

Cows’ milk should not be given

In keeping with current advice, cows’ milk should not be given as a main drink to infants under 12 months of age, the SACN report said.

The government should keep the risk from vitamin A, lead, soya-based formulas, acrylamide and arsenic under review, it recommended.

Efforts to reduce the levels of inorganic arsenic in food and water, and levels of acrylamide in commercially-produced foods should continue, SACN added.

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