Diet and Nutrition Survey of Infants and Young Children in Scotland, 2011

Recommendations for infant feeding, diet and nutrition

The Scottish Government recommends that:

• Mothers exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of the child's life^[4],[6].
• Breastfeeding mothers should take vitamin D supplements of 10µg per day^[7].
• Scottish Government guidance regarding the safe preparation, storage and handling of infant formula should be followed if parents choose to formula feed their babies, for example: Powdered formula should be made up as needed, with boiled water that has been allowed to cool for no more than 30 minutes^[8].
• Follow-on formula, 'toddler' and 'Goodnight' milks are not nutritionally necessary. If formula feeding, whey based infant formula is recommended until the child is one year of age^[9].
• Soya based formula should not be given unless recommended by a health professional and goat's milk formula should not be given to infants under one year^[9],[10].
• At six months of age suitable complementary foods^[11] should be introduced alongside continued breastfeeding (and/or breast milk substitutes, if used)^[6].
• Cow's milk should not be introduced as a main drink until after 12 months^[9].
• Semi-skimmed milk can be given as a drink from two years of age, provided the child is a good eater and growing well. Skimmed and 1% milk should not be given as a drink until five years of age^[9].
• Salt should not be added to children's food^[12].
• Vitamin A, C and D supplements should be given from six months unless the child is formula fed and receiving more than 500ml of formula per day. Breastfed infants born to mothers with a low vitamin status may require supplements earlier, from the age of one month^[13].
• From about six months mothers should start to introduce infants to drinking from cups and beakers^[9].
• Tooth brushing twice a day should begin as soon as teeth begin to appear^[14].

Adequacy of nutrient intake for the population is assessed by comparing intake with age/sex specific UK Dietary Reference values (DRVs)^[7]. The only DRVs set for this age group for macronutrients are an Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) for energy^[15] and a Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) for protein. For vitamins and minerals, mean intakes as a proportion of the RNI and the proportion with intakes below the Lower Reference Nutrient Intake (LRNI) are given. The RNIs and LRNIs set for each vitamin and mineral are shown in tables 6.22 and 6.33.

Results are presented for four age groups: 4 to 6 months, 7 to 9 months, 10 to 11 months and 12 to 18 months.