Investigating Relationships Between Breastfeeding Status and Infant Vegetable Experience on Infants’ Acceptance of Novel Vegetables

Abstract Objectives Early life flavor exposure is important in shaping lifelong eating habits. We examined relationships among maternal current breastfeeding status, infant vegetable experience and acceptance of a novel vegetable. Methods Caregivers (n = 106, 82% White) and children (n = 106, 54% male) aged 6–12 months (n = 46; infants), 12–18 months (n = 40; younger toddlers) and 18–24 months (n = 20; older toddlers), participated in a videotaped laboratory visit during which infants tasted up to 8 offers of a novel vegetable (pureed kale). Caregivers completed questionnaires on breastfeeding (BF) status (currently BF or pumping milk, 0 = no; 1 = yes), and infant vegetable experience (21 items, 0 = no; 1 = yes). Infant vegetable experience (VE) was scored as the sum of vegetables tasted by the infant to date (range 0–21). Acceptance of the novel vegetable was coded (0 = refusal; 1 = enforced; 2 = acceptance; 3 = anticipation) by trained coders using feeding videos. Descriptive statistics (mean ± s.d.) were calculated and regression analyses were conducted for models predicting VE and acceptance using current BF status and child age (months) as predictors. T-tests were conducted to ascertain differences in VE by current BF status. Significance was set at P < .05. Results Half (50%) of children were currently receiving breastmilk (77% for infants, 47.5% for younger toddlers, 21% for older toddlers). Children had been exposed to an average of 13.6 ± 5.3 vegetables and this differed by age of child (10.1 ± 5.2 for infants, 15.8 ± 3.5 for younger toddlers, 17.4 ± 2.9 for older toddlers). Child age (F = 10.8, P = .000, R2 = .426) was associated with acceptance of kale (1.5 ± 0.7); older children were less accepting (β = –.381). BF status was not significantly associated with acceptance. Child age was predictive of VE (F = 28.6, P = .000, R2 = .376; β = .638). Follow up analyses comparing infants’ and toddlers’ VE by current BF status revealed that older toddlers who were breastfed had greater VE than those not currently breastfed (t = 2.3, P = .036; 20.0 ± 1.1 vs 16.7 ± 2.9). Conclusions Despite introduction to a greater variety of vegetables with age, acceptance of a novel vegetables declined during toddlerhood. Infants and toddlers continued to consume breastmilk, and older toddlers had greater VE; these factors were not associated with greater novel vegetable acceptance. Funding Sources The Sugar Association.