Babies Starting a Nordic Diet Will Pick Healthy Foods as Kids, Study Says

A Nordic diet, also known as a Scandinavian diet, has been around for centuries but scientists from Sweden and California believe, based on the findings of a controlled study, that if babies are introduced to food based on this principle then they could grow up to be healthy-eating kids. Thus, this diet may be the solution to beating childhood obesity.

Experts from the University of California, the University of Umea, and the Stockholm County Council Centre for Epidemiology tracked 250 babies between 4 to 6 months old for 18 months. One group was fed the Nordic diet while the other group was given food based on the dietary recommendations of the local health agency.

The group of babies who were given the Nordic diet was 42 to 45 percent more prone to consume fruits and vegetables after 18 months compared to the babies in the other group, per Eurekalert. The kids under the conventional diet also lowered their vegetable intake by as much as 36 percent when they reached the toddler phase. Both groups, however, continued to be breastfed and monitored for their iron intake.

What's in the Nordic Diet?

Recently, the popularity of the Nordic diet has given rise to another weight-loss fad but this diet has many health advantages because it can prevent issues like high blood sugar and high cholesterol, or the markers of childhood obesity.

According to Eating Well, the Nordic diet, observed in countries like Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, consists of seafood as the main source of protein and fatty acids, a lot of root vegetables that commonly grow in cold climates, fermented foods like Skyr or yogurt and plenty of berries. While some may eat red meat or processed meat, the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations call for its replacement with fish, poultry, or other plant-based protein sources because of epidemiological evidence linking meat to cancer, coronary heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

The Nordic diet is also mostly plant-based, with emphasis on many antioxidants and foods rich in fiber. The high consumption of probiotics also leads to fewer risks for stroke, type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

Dr. Ulrica Johansson, who works as a pediatrician and is the leading author of the study, said that they found no negative side effects to giving babies mostly fruit or berries, and vegetables or vegetable roots for the duration of the study, alongside regular breastfeeding. She added that "reduced in protein is safe, feasible and may contribute to sustainable and healthy eating" when the babies reach early childhood.

The doctor and her team are going to follow up on the children's diet habits until they are 7 years old to determine the long-term health effects of the Nordic diet. They presented their findings during the annual conference of the European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN).

Children in Nordic countries are healthier

Johansson's study goes in line with a survey of nearly 5,000 kids between 7 to 12 years old and more than 15,000 adults between 18 to 65 years old from the five Nordic countries, per Food Navigator. The survey was conducted from 2011 to 2014.

The results showed that Nordic kids do eat more fruits, vegetables and fish, and fewer sugary foods. However, the Nordic Council of Ministers had concerns about the marked difference in the children's food intake from less-educated parents, who gave their kids more sugar and fewer saturated fats or wholegrain bread.

Concerns were also raised regarding the increasing proportion of children who were more glued to their TV or gadgets than engaging in physical activities. The health experts said that these do not go with their official recommendations.