None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The Baby-Led Introduction to SolidS (BLISS) study will determine whether a novel approach to infant feeding using foods that infants can feed themselves encourages self-regulation of energy intake and prevents the development of overweight without detrimental effects on iron status and growth. 300 families will be randomised to Control (standard advice from birth-12 months), or BLISS (additional guidance and support to delay introduction of solids to 6 months, followed by infant self-feeding from 6-12 months). Growth, energy self-regulation, diet quality and iron and zinc status will be measured at 12 and/or 24 months. A baby-led approach that encourages children to eat in response to internal hunger cues rather than external cues from their environment should encourage better energy self-regulation and improved weight outcomes at 12 months that are maintained at two years of age.
Interventions
7 home visits, approximately 1 hour in length, when the child is 1 week, and 1, 3, 5 (all by lactation consultant), and 5.5, 7 and 9 (by trained nurse or other health professional) months of age providing anticipatory guidance to assist mothers to exclusively breastfeed to 6 months, then introduce complementary foods from 6 months following a modified baby-led weaning approach (BLW). This uses the concepts of BLW (infant self-feeds rather than parent spoon feeds, families eating together) but us
7 home visits, approximately 1 hour in length, when the child is 1 week, and 1, 3, 5 (all by lactation consultant), and 5.5, 7 and 9 (by trained nurse or other health professional) months of age providing anticipatory guidance to assist mothers to exclusively breastfeed to 6 months, then introduce complementary foods from 6 months following a modified baby-led weaning approach (BLW). This uses the concepts of BLW (infant self-feeds rather than parent spoon feeds, families eating together) but using resources that address concerns with BLW that have been raised by health professionals - including the potential for growth faltering, poor iron status, and choking.
Sponsors
University of Otago
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
16 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Before birth criteria: 1) booking before 34 weeks gestation 2) able to communicate in English or Te Reo Maori
Exclusion criteria
Before birth criteria: 1) home address outside study area (metropolitan Dunedin) 2) expecting to shift out of metropolitan Dunedin in the next two years After birth criteria 3) identified congenital abnormality likely to affect feeding or growth 4) birth before 37 weeks gestation
Outcome results
None listed