Infant Feeding Practices—a Predisposing Factor in Hypertension?

Abstract

Evidence that the sodium content of the diet is markedly elevated when the infant is given foods other than milk in the first few weeks of life may be reason to question the wisdom of such a practice. At the present time evidence is accumulating that diets high in sodium predispose to hypertension in young animals. Data on the sodium in infant's diets indicate that those receiving commercially prepared infant foods are ingesting a level that far exceeds the needs for growth and to compensate for obligatory losses through the skin and kidneys. Data presented here show that the earlier a child is started on the usual sequence of cereal, fruit, eggs, meat, and vegetables in addition to milk, the higher the sodium content of his diet at any age. While there is now no experimental evidence in human infancy to indicate a relationship between dietary sodium levels and hypertension, such studies are indicated. Since the high sodium in infant foods is the result of the addition of sodium chloride to make the products more palatable to the mother, consideration might also be given to encouraging manufacturers of infant foods to reduce the amount of salt added. There is no evidence that the infant rejects bland foods.