Are there any known health risks to early introduction of solids to an infant’s diet?

Celiac disease: Timing key for high-risk babies

A prospective observational study (N=1560) of infants at increased risk of celiac disease (defined as having either the HLA-DR3 or DR4 allele) determined that the optimum time for introducing gluten-containing foods is 4 to 6 months. Infants exposed in the first 3 months of life had a 5-fold increased risk of developing celiac disease, and babies exposed after the sixth month had nearly a 2-fold increased risk.¹²

Recommendations

Strong consensus exists for withholding solids until 4 to 6 months of age, including recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics,¹³ the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology,¹⁴ and the World Health Organization.¹⁵ The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology has adopted a more precise recommendation that solids be introduced no earlier than 6 months.¹⁶

Acknowledgements

The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Department of the Navy, Air Force, Department of Defense, or the United States Government.