Environmental Scan of Online Government Complementary Feeding Resources in the United States.
Kelsey L Thompson, Michelle D Graf
PMID 38864902WHAT IT FOUND
Federal online complementary feeding resources often matched US dietary guidelines on starting solids around 6 months, but many were outdated and disagreed about allergenic foods and texture progression.
Key findings
01Of 112 parent-facing federal complementary feeding resources, all federal agencies and 75% of state WIC programs recommended starting complementary foods around 6 months.
02Only 36% of state WIC programs recommended introducing at least one potentially allergenic food with other complementary foods, and 39% gave no age for allergenic food introduction.
0352% of state WIC programs recommended varying food texture as infant oral skills develop.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Many resources were outdated, with some versions dated as early as 2008. Guidance was inconsistent across resources, especially for allergenic foods and textured food progression. The scan looked only at federal resources, so private online resources were not reviewed. It did not show whether parents can access or use these resources. Some state WIC programs had no publicly available nutrition resources. After reliability checks, one author rated the quality of the remaining resources.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume parent-facing federal complementary feeding resources are current or consistent. Some were dated as early as 2008, and guidance varied, especially on allergenic foods and textured food progression.