Introducing Solids - Link with Diabetes

Early or late introduction of solids may be linked to diabetes.

There a fair bit of discussion around the ideal time to introduce solid foods to a baby.  Six months is often flagged as the approximate time to start the process, sometimes adjusted according to the babies interest, appetite, family history of allergies and cultural background.  But what are the implications of an earlier or later introduction?

A recently published research paper indicates 4-6 months as being the ideal window for solids introduction - together with continued breastfeeding. This timing was based on finding the presence of an allergic indicator that can develop into diabetes later in life. 

The paper introduces this interesting topic with the troubling fact that "Type 1 diabetes... is increasing worldwide, with the most rapid increase among children younger than 5 years of age."

So it seems that the variety, texture and volume of solids introduction are not as critical as the window of time. The window of 4-6 months would appear to be the tried and tested timing, confirming what I was taught some 20 years ago in my training.

Sharon.