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Somewhere between 4 and 6 months of age, infants eat their first solid food—although “solid food” is actually a misnomer. The first food consumed is usually iron-fortified baby cereal mixed with breast milk or formula to make a very thin gruel. As babies get older, the amount of milk is reduced to make porridge of a thicker consistency. Now infants’ diets begin to include other pureed foods, such as vegetables and fruits. The addition of pureed meats comes later. Infants do not necessarily like these new flavors and textures—many foods must be introduced over a dozen times before an infant will accept them.

Sometimes babies gain weight quickly and may appear chubby. Parents who feed their infants nutritious foods need not worry about increases in weight and should not restrict infants’ caloric intake without consulting a pediatrician. Most chubby babies become thinner toddlers and young children as they learn to crawl, walk, run, and become more active. In addition, as infants’ get better at manipulating their fingers (as discussed later in this chapter), they begin to feed themselves, which means meals may take more time and may reduce toddlers’ food consumption.

However, many infants are not served nutritious foods. One recent study of 6- to 24-month-olds found that many were served fattening “junk” foods such as French fries, pizza, candy, and soda, and 20% of the infants had never consumed vegetables (Miles & Siega-Riz, 2017). Most infants are introduced to sweets early, and by 24 months, nearly two thirds consume cookies or candy in a given day (Deming et al., 2017). Rapid, excessive weight gain in infancy is associated with childhood obesity (Wang et al., 2016). Pediatricians suggest that parents consider their infants’ growth in light of norms to determine whether intervention is needed. As shown in Figure 4.2, about 5% of 12-month-old boys and girls weigh 26 pounds or more and are classified as obese (World Health Organization, 2009).

Figure 4.2 Weight Norms for Infants and Toddlers

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009.