New Peer-Reviewed Publication on Essential Elements for Learning to Eat
May 2025 • 6 min read • By: Gerber Medical Hub
Quick Summary
A recent publication in Frontiers in Pediatrics provides practical guidance for caregivers who support infants and toddlers when they learn to eat.
Essential Elements for Learning to Eat
A peer-reviewed, mini-review covers updated guidance on the role of the caregiver, and opportunities for healthcare providers in supporting family mealtime.
The mini-review covered the following themes:
- Age of starting solids
- Developmental skills
- Promoting healthy dietary patterns and texture exposure for children
- Exploring feeding methods and the importance of responsive and sensitive feeding
- Creating a positive and nurturing feeding environment for child development
- Role of the caregiver and family
- Practical applications and call to action
Within those themes five key supportive roles for the HCP in learning to eat are summarized below:
- Importance of Early Nutrition: The early childhood period is crucial for establishing healthy eating behaviors. Caregivers play a vital role in this process, influencing what and how children eat.
- Family Mealtimes: Mealtimes are not just about nutrition; they are opportunities for bonding, skill development, and exposure to a variety of foods. Creating a positive mealtime environment is essential for fostering a healthy relationship with food.
- Responsive Feeding Practices: The mini-review highlights the significance of responsive feeding, where caregivers are attuned to their child's cues, promoting a secure attachment and encouraging exploration of different foods.
- Practical Guidance for Caregivers: The publication offers actionable strategies for healthcare providers to educate families about the importance of diverse diets, appropriate feeding environments, and the role of caregivers in the feeding journey.
- Call to Action: Healthcare providers are encouraged to initiate discussions about feeding practices during well-childcare visits, reinforcing the importance of starting complementary feeding at the appropriate age.
- The article can be located via Open Access in Frontiers in Pediatrics.
To support caregivers in supporting what to eat, how to eat, and their supportive role, visit Learning to Eat, and download customized guidance for each family at learningtoeat.co.
