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To meet the demand for more education on infant feeding, this new site houses important how-to information intended for new parents in the United States on topics such as breastfeeding, safely preparing a baby's bottle and complementary feeding. Additionally, the website features the latest research on infant nutrition issues such as obesity. As Dr. Lillian Beard, a practicing pediatrician and IFC medical consultant, emphasizes, "With the increasing obesity epidemic in the United States, it is vital that parents start their infant on a healthy life course - one that will keep them active and nutritionally sound from birth through adulthood."
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A study published in the March 2010 edition of Pediatrics, which surveyed parents of more than 8,500 four-year-olds, highlighted how early, simple lifestyle interventions such as eating dinner together as a family, getting enough sleep, and watching less than two hours of TV a day, can significantly help combat childhood obesity, regardless of factors such as socioeconomic status, race, gender, and maternal obesity.
The U.S. childhood obesity rate has more than tripled in the past 30 years according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, close to 25 percent of children and teenagers in the U.S. are either overweight or obese. Since obese youth are more likely to be overweight or obese as adults, they are more at risk for heart disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes. With this in mind, Dr. Beard reminds parents that obesity is a complex disease which parents should approach from many angles including establishing healthy eating habits early on. Following are a few helpful tips for feeding babies:
In addition to this parent-focused tip sheet, the website hosts a step-by-step educational video series, featuring registered nurse Barb Dehn, who addresses infant feeding topics such as safely preparing, handling, and storing baby formula. Visitors can also subscribe to the quarterly IFC Infant Feeding and Nutrition newsletter, sign up for the RSS feed, and select the "Share This" option and tap into their social media portals such as Facebook and Twitter.
"Parents and caregivers need access to information on all infant feeding options," explains Dr. Beard. "InfantFeeding.org is a valuable resource for them."
Note to Editors:
The International Formula Council is an association of manufacturers and marketers of formulated nutrition products, e.g., infant formulas and adult nutritionals, whose members are based predominantly in North America. IFC members are: Abbott Nutrition; Mead Johnson Nutrition; Nestle Infant Nutrition; and Pfizer Nutrition.
Dr. Lillian M. Beard, a practicing pediatrician in Silver Spring, Maryland, (a suburb of Washington, D.C.), is Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Assistant Professor at the Howard University College of Medicine, and a communications consultant to industries on issues relating to the care, health and safety of infants, children and adolescents. She is a medical advisor and consultant to the International Formula Council.
A Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Beard has held numerous leadership positions with medical associations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Medical Association and the American Medical Women's Association.
Author of the celebrated book, "Salt In Your Sock And Other Tried-And-True Home Remedies" (Three Rivers Press / Random House- March 2003- Fifth Print), Dr. Beard's extensive media experiences include serving as a national spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, the medical expert / health contributor on "Broadcast House Live" WUSA-TV, NBC-TV-4 News, and ABC-TV7 News and Newschannel 8, all in Washington, DC. A frequent contributor and guest expert on national television, Dr. Beard's appearances include "Good Morning America", "CBS Early Show" and CNN'S "Accent Health". Dr. Beard's articles have been published in medical journals (Pediatrics, Journal of the National Medical Association), and Good Housekeeping magazine, where as a contributing editor, she authored the monthly "Ask Dr. Beard" column. Dr. Beard has served as an editorial advisor to many publications including AAP News, and currently serves on the editorial advisory board of Pediatric News.
Named by Consumers' Research Council as one of America's Top Doctors (2005 -2007), and featured in the National Library of Medicine's exhibition, " Changing the Face of Medicine", Celebrating America's Women Physicians, Dr. Lillian Beard, identified as one of Maryland's Top 100 Women for 2003, and named by the Washingtonian magazine, one of Washington D.C.'s "Top Doctors"- (Nov. 2002), is listed in Who's Who in America, and in many other references.
Cited by President Bill Clinton in his 1993 Address to the Nation, Dr. Beard is the recipient of numerous national honors and awards. Howard University honored Dr. Beard with the 1996 Charter Day Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement Award in the fields of Medicine and Community Service, and she was featured in the publication, "Women of Courage" Volume II.
Dr. Beard received her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine degrees at Howard University, Washington, D.C. She completed a residency in Pediatrics and a fellowship in Child Development at Children's National Medical Center, Washington, D.C.
Contact: West Sanders or
Mardi K. Mountford, MPH
(404)252-3663
-- Learn your baby's feeding cues. Whether breast or bottle feeding, if your baby pushes the breast or bottle away, he/she is probably full and should not be encouraged to continue eating. -- Do not assume your crying baby is hungry. He/she also may be tired, have a wet/soiled diaper, or want to be held. -- When feeding your baby, turn off the TV and instead tune in to your baby. Take the opportunity to nurture, bond, and respond to your baby's needs. -- Do not introduce solids before four months of age as babies this young may not be able to process the food appropriately. -- Go outside and take a walk as a family. This will help establish an active routine for the family as well as the baby as they grow into toddlerhood and beyond.
SOURCE International Formula Council
