Early exposure to vegetable variety on infants’ liking and consumption. The TASTE intervention study.

Abstract

Research suggests that repeatedly offering infants a variety of vegetables early during weaning, increases intake and liking of these vegetables and may facilitate acceptance of novel foods. Sixty mothers of 4–6 month old infants were randomised to an intervention group who were given guidance on introducing vegetables as first weaning foods, or a control group who received usual care. Mothers were visited at home at the start of complementary feeding. The intervention comprised an interview at which the importance of early introduction to a variety of vegetables was stressed and mothers were encouraged to offer tastes of five different vegetables only for the first 15 days of weaning. Leaflets reinforcing these messages were provided. Control participants were also visited, but received no advice. The infants’ liking and consumption (g) of an unfamiliar vegetable followed by an unfamiliar fruit was assessed at a ‘taste test’ 1 month post-intervention. Infants in the Intervention group ate significantly more of an unfamiliar vegetable than infants in the Control group (p = 0.014) and were rated as liking the vegetable significantly more than those in the control group by both mothers (p > 0.001) and researchers (p > 0.001). There were no significant group differences in infants’ liking or intake of the fruit. It may be beneficial to introduce a variety of vegetables early in complementary feeding. The TASTE intervention was well received by parents,is straightforward and would be easily disseminable via health professionals or directly to parents.