Introduction: Fruits and vegetables are sources of numerous nutrients and bioactive compounds. One of them are carotenoids with antioxidant potential, particularly abundant in yellow-orange, red and dark green fruits and vegetables.
Aim: The aims of this study were: (1) to investigate if fruits and vegetables rich in carotenoids are offered as first solids; (2) to assess if early nutritional factors, such as exclusive breastfeeding duration (EBF), timing (CFI) and method (CFM) of complementary feeding introduction may be associated with offering them.
Methods: This internet-based study was conducted in 2016-2018 among 4104 mothers of children aged 12-36 months, recruited through social media in Poland. Mothers were asked about EBF, CFI, CFM as well as first 5-10 products that were given to their infants as first solids. Data on the consumption of the first products were collected using the qualitative method.
Results: The majority of children was introduced to complementary feeding at 4-6 months (60.6%). The most often offered vegetables/fruits were carrot (89.8%), broccoli (54.0%) and pumpkin (39.7%), whereas avocado (3.1%), pepper (0.9%) and kale (0.02%) were rarely used as first weaning products. EBF, CFI and CFM were associated with offering pumpkin (p<0.001; p<0.05; p<0.001), sweet potato (p<0.01; p<0.001; p<0.001), tomato (p<0.01; p<0.001; p<0.001), avocado (p<0.01; p<0.05; p<0.001) and broccoli (p<0.001) as first vegetables/fruits. In a group with CFI ≥7 months, sweet potato (13.7%), tomato (5.1%), avocado (4.0%) and broccoli (61.2%) were more often offered as first vegetables/fruits than in a group with CFI at 4-6 months (7.5%, 2.7%, 2.7%, 50.4%; respectively) or CFI <4 months (3.9%, p<0.001; 2.0%, p<0.001; 0.0%, p<0.05; 33.3%, p<0.001; respectively).
Conclusions: Early nutrition may be a factor associated with offering different foods during weaning. Carrot and broccoli were the most often offered solids. According to the literature [1,2,3] carrot is the richest source of carotenoids, whereas broccoli has the highest antioxidant capacity.
- USDA National Nutrient Database
- USDA Database for the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of Selected Foods, Release 2, 2010
- Hamułka J., Wawrzyniak A.: Lycopene and lutein - pro-health properties and their content in products. SGGW Publ. Warsaw 2004.
