[The Nutrition Committee of the Austrian Society of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Comment on nutrition with solid foods in infancy and early childhood].

The Nutrition Committee of the Austrian Pediatric Society recommends that weaning foods should be introduced between 4 and 6 months of age, which agrees with the recommendations in the EC and the U.S. Opinion against early introduction of solid foods have focused on concerns about renal solute load, obesity, coeliac disease, and food allergy. On the other hand, when weaning was postponed after 6 months of age, growth faltering in some breastfed infants and iron-deficiency anemia in infants fed non-fortified formulas or cow's milk were observed. Two broad categories--"baby foods" and "cereal-based weaning foods"--are on the market in Austria. "Baby foods" include complete meals sold in jars, soups, desserts and puddings, fruit juices, nectars, and vegetable juices. "Cereal-based weaning foods" are composed of one or more cereals either alone, or with the addition of vegetables, fruits, milk and milk products, egg, or other ingredients. Weaning food labelling should include information if sugars, salt, iron, vitamins minerals and trace elements have been added and if the product is free from gluten, cow's milk and egg protein, and lactose.