At around one year, babies (toddlers) start to walk alone and take a much greater interest in their environment. There are several behavioural changes that indicate the baby’s readiness to move onto a strong nutritional foundation.
For instance, the baby may:
- begin to walk alone
- remember things
- give an object when asked (respond to simple instruction)
- shake head to say no (independence)
- begin to say “mama”
- understand cause/effect
- laugh at funny things
- copy and imitate
- start to show temper
Signs of readiness for richer tastes and textures include:
- taking food with fingers
- beginning to self-feed
- progressively rotating spoon near mouth
- managing progressively to drink from cup (picking it up, putting it down)
- munching with rotary chewing
- closing lips when swallowing (mature swallow)
Nutritional needs
From the age of one onwards, drinks based on cow’s milk become an important item in the baby’s diet. But cow’s milk itself is not adapted to the nutritional requirements of young children. In particular, cow’s milk contains too much protein, too many minerals, too little iron, too much saturated fatty acids and not enough unsaturated fats.
Balanced protein
On the one hand, protein is needed, especially during growth periods, e.g. to build body tissues like muscles. On the other hand, high amounts of protein burden the toddler's still immature kidneys' function. If kidney function has not matured, a high protein intake can compromise renal function. Research suggests that children over one year of age tend to have a protein intake which is higher than paediatric recommendations. A high protein intake has also been implicated in obesity in later life.
High in minerals
The content of total minerals is high in cow's milk. Minerals are elements like sodium, chloride, phosphorus, and potassium, which are needed for the homeostasis of body water and fluids. Again, the kidneys play the key role in maintaining a constant concentration of minerals in all body tissues.
Lack of specific trace elements and vitamins
Cow's milk is low in specific trace elements which are highly needed during growth and maturation, and which are often below the recommended intake in the toddler's diet. This is the case for iron, zinc, selenium and iodine.
Sub-optimal fatty acid composition
High in saturated fatty acids and low in unsaturated fatty acids, cow's milk does not provide the optimal and most healthy fatty acid composition. Unsaturated fatty acids are needed for growth, e.g. for building cells in the nervous system, and studies show that many toddlers do not receive the recommended levels. Brain, for instance, is extremely rich in DHA (n-3 unsaturated fatty acid). Therefore, a good balance between the two families of essential fatty acids is recommended, with a 4-10 ratio between n-6 fatty acids like linolenic acid and n-3 fatty acids like alpha-linolenic acid.
In brief
- A toddler is more adventurous with his/her food, and should be offered variety. This promotes a healthy food choice in the future.
- It is important to provide a complete and balanced nutrition on a daily basis, taking into consideration the baby’s physical development from the first year of life.
The baby’s daily intake should respect the following recommendations:
- total energy needs of approximately 850-1400 kcal/day
- total protein needs of about 13 g/day (can be much higher in developing countries)
- fats moving to 30-40 % total daily energy with balanced n-3:n-6 ratio (4-10)
- carbohydrates gradually moving to 45-55% of total daily energy (about 100 g/day) with less than 25% coming from added sugars
- limited added salt (compared to adult food)
- limited added sugars (compared to adult food), with less than 25% coming from added sugars
Learn more about Nestlé's Junior Baby Food products.