Food for thought

INFANTS aged six months and over who feed themselves soft finger foods are in a healthier weight range at age two than those who are spoonfed purees by their parents.

That is the result of a study which also found the “do-itthemselves’’ approach nurtures more adventurous eating later in life. Aloysa Hourigan from Nutrition Australia said: “Force-feeding babies through clenched teeth is not going to teach them how to understand when they feel full. Presenting babies with soft foods makes them try more variety and helps with fine motor skills.”