A registered dietitian, Mrs Sarah Abagai, has cautioned parents against the improper preparation and administration of infant formula.
Abagai, a Fellow of the Institute of Dietetics in Nigeria, gave the advice in an interview with reporters on Monday in Abuja.
She said some parents, in an effort to make the formula last longer, excessively dilute it because of its high cost.
“The formula becomes too watery, does not offer sufficient nourishment, and could lead to issues of water intoxication.
“Water intoxication is when there is an intake of too much water in the body; it begins to affect the kidneys of the child.
“Yes, it affects the kidneys of the child. The kidneys are very tender, and so we need to be careful,” she said.
Abagai also cautioned parents against leaving infants unattended while bottle-feeding, particularly when children are propped up with pillows.
According to her, improper bottle-feeding can cause formula to enter areas around the ear tubes and contribute to ear infections.
The dietitian said unsupervised bottle-feeding could also cause infants to swallow excessive air, resulting in bloating and colic.
Abagai advised caregivers to hold infants appropriately during feeding and maintain a suitable position after feeding.
“Try to keep the child in a sitting position even when you are breastfeeding,” she said.
For toddlers, Abagai identified forced feeding, excessive portions and the consumption of sugary snacks and drinks before meals as common feeding mistakes.
“There are children who would just eat naturally, so when you force a child to eat, it becomes counterproductive.
“When you serve large portions of food at a time, it could overwhelm the child and cause him not to want to eat anymore.”
She also said feeding children with snacks, sugary foods and juice before meals could make them lose interest in proper meals.
“You are already beginning to help the child build a habit, an unhealthy one at that.
“Also, to use food as a bribe or reward does not help the child. Food is not supposed to be used as a reward.
“A child should be oriented to know that he needs food for his survival and for good health,” she said.
Abagai urged parents to establish healthy eating habits at home by modelling appropriate food choices for their children.
According to her, it is the responsibility of parents to model the kind of food habits that children will grow up with.
The dietitian said nutritious diets do not necessarily require expensive or imported foods, urging families to make greater use of affordable local foods.
She advised parents to reduce children’s consumption of ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks and provide balanced meals that contain different food groups.
The dietitian added that parents play an important role in shaping children’s eating habits through the choices made at home.
