Fat
Why do babies need fat anyway?
Fats (also called lipids) are actually a large group of compounds which have in common their inability to be dissolved in water. They provide a concentrated source of energy to the rapidly growing infant. They also serve specific vital functions. Specific lipids are components of the membrane of the cell; in their absence the cell will not function properly.
What about essential fats?
There are certain fats that are essential; this means that the body is not able to make them and they are therefore essential in the diet in order to sustain life. In the extreme absence of these essential fatty acids in the diet, deficiencies may develop, such as scaly skin, loss of hair, and poor weight gain.
What are other uses of fats?
Lipids are also a critical constituent of brain cells and extreme deprivation of lipids in early life can be associated with poor development. Finally, dietary fats give pleasant taste and texture to many foods; a diet deficient in fat might not taste good!
Fat babies are really cute. Is there any harm in making them fat?
There is harm in allowing infants to develop excessive amounts of fat. The fat cells which are developed in early life will multiply and become filled with fat. Later on in adulthood, it may not be easy to lose weight. These fat cells will constantly undergo filling and emptying as the adult struggles to lose weight.
Friends have told me that babies can be intolerant to fat. Is that true?
It is unusual that an infant would be intolerant of fat. This might be confused with poor absorption of fat which is seen in certain diseases.
Why can’t my 12-month-old be on 2% milk like the rest of the family?
Fat is a normal part of diet; 2% milk may not provide enough of the high-density calories required by infants in the early years of life. One gram of fat will provide 9 calories to an infant (one gram of protein, or one gram of sugar, will provide only 4 calories). It would be difficult for the infant, who requires almost twice as many calories as an adult (relative to his weight), to receive adequate calories in early life while drinking a diet low in fat. Further, 2% milk might not provide enough of the essential fatty acids discussed previously.
I still don’t understand. I know a lot of people who use 2% milk for their toddlers.
The intake of calories in children must be enough not only to meet the needs for resting activity and growth (basal metabolism), but also for any additional activity. A diet low in calories, therefore, will lead to poor growth. There is also a recommended optimal distribution of calories; fat should comprise approximately 30% to 40% of the diet, protein approximately 10% to 15%, and carbohydrate the remainder. A low-fat diet will not meet these requirements. The baby might try to correct for this by drinking excess milk–and in so doing receive too high an amount of protein and minerals. Skim milk, therefore, should not be given to infants or toddlers under age two. Remember also that the absorption of fat is accompanied by the absorption of essential fat-soluble vitamins.
When does fat or cholesterol intake become an issue?
Cholesterol intake becomes an issue when there is a family history of high cholesterol levels or when the individual child’s cholesterol level is excessive. In most infants there is little cause for concern regarding cholesterol intake. In older infants (over two years), it is reasonable to reduce saturated fat consumption to approximately 10% of the total calories; 20% of the calories, therefore, could be derived from unsaturated fats. In addition, cholesterol intake should average 300 mg/day. There is, however, no evidence that diets low in cholesterol are required in infancy.
When can I give skim milk?
Skim milk can possibly be given to a child after the second year of life. Skim milk or similar low-fat or fat-free diets can be associated with essential fatty acid deficiency. This is usually detected when less than 1% of calories is essential fatty acids. Human milk contains 7% or more of calories as essential fatty acids, depending upon the maternal diet, and infant formulas contain more than 10%. We want to reemphasize that, because of the rapid rate of growth and the need for essential fatty acids, skim milk should not be given to infants or children under 2 years of age.
Should blood cholesterol be checked in my baby? At what age?
The level of cholesterol in the blood should be checked in a baby only if there is a family history of high cholesterol or early deaths due to heart attacks (before the age of 45 years). There is usually no urgency to this, unless your physician suspects a very serious form of high blood cholesterol (homozygous hypercholesterolemia).
My friend told me that baby formulas contain vegetable oils. Is that bad for babies?
Vegetable oil contains a higher percentage of unsaturated fats than does milk derived from animals such as the cow. Unsaturated fats have a higher percentage of essential fatty acids. Therefore, the vegetable oils that are in infant formulas are safe for infants and provide needed fatty acids.
I read that breast milk has the highest cholesterol concentration when compared with formulas. Is that good or bad for babies?
Breast milk provides just the right amount of cholesterol for babies. Babies do need cholesterol for their nerve coats, so it appears reasonable to have a good amount of cholesterol in the baby’s diet.
I read about “fat-soluble vitamins.” What does that mean? Are those vitamins important?
The fat-soluble vitamins are vitamins A, D, E, and K. This term means that these compounds are not dissolved in water but can be dissolved in fat. They are absorbed along with fats, in a manner exactly the same as the fats. These are vitally important vitamins; vitamin A is required for the development of the eyes and skin, vitamin D is required for the appropriate formation of bone, vitamin E is required for the development of the nervous system, and vitamin K is critically important for the formation of blood clotting factors.
Are all oils contained in formulas the same?
No, there are great differences between various oils, both in regard to their content of essential fatty acids as well as in the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids. Formulas have different vegetable oils added to them. Corn oil and soy oil contain more than 50% of one essential fatty acid, called linoleic acid; coconut oil contains less than 2%. The proportion of unsaturated fatty acids is higher in vegetable oils than in fats derived from animals; therefore, cow’s milk contains less essential fatty acid and more saturated fat than does human milk. Infant formulas with added vegetable oil, in general, are rich in essential fatty acids and unsaturated fats.
Are babies fat because they receive too much fat or too much carbohydrates?
Excess weight occurring at any age is due to an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure–energy in the form of calories. It makes no difference whether the excessive calories are ingested as fat or as carbohydrate. Obviously, there are more calories per gram of fat than there are per gram of carbohydrate. Therefore, excessive intake of fat will more likely tip the balance in favor of excessive weight gain.
I get confused by these terms: fat, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Are they all the same?
Fat, a generic term used interchangeably with words such as lipid, simply refers to a specific chemical structure. In relation to dietary intake, there are obviously various subtypes of specific fats or lipids– these include cholesterol, triglycerides, and in fact, fat-soluble vitamins.
My family lives into their 90s. I suppose I don’t have to worry about my baby’s cholesterol?
There is no question that family history has a lot to do with longevity. Inherited tendencies may cause diseases such as premature atherosclerosis. However, the fact that longevity has occurred in a family does not necessarily rule out a tendency toward hypercholesterolemia. The genetic tendency is merely that–an increased risk. The exact outcome of this risk depends upon lifestyles, diet, etc.
I hear a lot of talk about limiting our intake of eggs to three a week. What about babies? Is there a problem with the egg yolk?
As with any dietary intake, moderation is the key. If cholesterol intake must be regulated, egg yolk (a concentrated source of cholesterol) should be limited.
I understand that breast milk has a good amount of fat in it. Is there some way I can improve the fat content of my milk?
Again, the old dictum is “You are what you eat.” Therefore, the fat content of milk, to some degree, reflects dietary fat intake.
I heard that “P:S ratios” are important in diets. What are P:S ratios, anyway? Does that apply to babies?
The P:S ratio refers to the ratio of dietary polyunsaturated (P) to saturated (S) fats. The ratio of each type of fat is important because too much of either type of fat is undesirable. Saturated fatty acids (eg, palmitic and stearic) are harder for the infant to absorb than unsaturated fatty acids (eg, oleic and linoleic).
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