An Australian study has linked bottle feeding babies to sleep beyond 12 months to dental cavities and overweight in early childhood, citing prolonged exposure of teeth to sugar as one of the contributing factors.
Lead author Heilok Cheng told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that similar international studies have shown similar links, but this research, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, uses data from the local population, who have access to fluoridated water.
“Similar studies have been done overseas … but we have a different population in Australia: 89 per cent of people have access to fluoridated water, which helps protect teeth,” Cheng said.
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The researchers followed more than 700 children in Sydney from birth for up to four years to study their feeding habits, weight, and dental health.
Cheng said families need more support to help their babies sleep without a bottle. “It’s important to make sure parents have this information,” Cheng added.
In Australia, public health messages are guided by the national dietary guidelines, which recommend bottle cessation at 12 months of age and the introduction of a cup at six months.
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