Atypical Diets in Infancy and Early Childhood

The nutritional adequacy of atypical diets for infants and young children may be a concern for the health care professional. These diets are thought to provide potential health benefits for infants and children, but may also lack nutrients needed for normal growth and development. They include vegetarian diets, prolonged breastfeeding, and low-fat diets. High juice intake, pica, and finicky eating are not "diets" per se, but are practices that may cause concern regarding diet adequacy. We discuss the background, the proposed health benefits, and the potential concerns related to the nutritional adequacy of these diets and eating practices.