. 2020 Oct 29;17(21):7931. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17217931

Table 3.

Complementary feeding: gaps to be filled.

Research Areas Regarding the Complementary Feeding Period
Nutrient needs during the complementary feeding phase should be differentiated taking into account feeding practices (as the UK British Nutrition Foundation guidelines suggest), in order to personalize the recommendations Long term studies evaluating the effects of complementary feeding on health outcomes should be conducted A dietary fiber reference intake has not yet been proposed for infants aged <1 year old. Since dietary fiber may have a prebiotic effect, with the ability to modulate gut microbiota composition, their relevance during the first year of life should be further explored, according to the different milk feeding. In addition to the recommended intake of individual nutrients, the effects of diet diversity in the first year of life on health outcomes should be further investigated.

Research Areas Regarding the Complementary Feeding Period

Nutrient needs during the complementary feeding phase should be differentiated taking into account feeding practices (as the UK British Nutrition Foundation guidelines suggest), in order to personalize the recommendations
Long term studies evaluating the effects of complementary feeding on health outcomes should be conducted
A dietary fiber reference intake has not yet been proposed for infants aged <1 year old. Since dietary fiber may have a prebiotic effect, with the ability to modulate gut microbiota composition, their relevance during the first year of life should be further explored, according to the different milk feeding. In addition to the recommended intake of individual nutrients, the effects of diet diversity in the first year of life on health outcomes should be further investigated.