Introduction of allergenic foods and risk of wheeze and eczema in young children

Introducing potentially allergenic foods (cows milk, hen's egg, peanuts, tree nuts, soy and gluten) to the infant's diet before 6 months of age will not increase the incidence of wheeze or eczema in young children aged 4 years and younger.  This study provides further evidence for introducing potentially allergenic foods to the infant's diet between 4 to 6 months of age when they are developmentally ready, irrespective of whether there is a family history of allergy or not.  It also supports the Infant Feeding Advice given by the Australian Society for Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)

Lack of sleep can make young children fatter

A New Zealand study has found that  children between the ages of 3 and 7 years who slept more had lower body weight than those children who slept less. Each additional hour of sleep between ages 3 and 5 years was linked to a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) at age 7 years.

Australian Dietary Guidelines - draft revision

The Australian Dietary Guidelines published in 2003 have been undergoing a much needed review. The National Health and Medical Research Council ( NH&MRC) has announced the 5 new draft guidelines which will be put out for public consultation later in the year. At this stage, the evidence underpinning them has not been published.