To investigate some possible modulators of dietary habits in young children which may influence diet at later ages. The age at which chewy (lumpy) foods were introduced to infants during weaning has been shown to relate to later eating behaviour and fruit and vegetable intake. The recommended age is between 6 and 9 months and previous work in ALSPAC has shown that introduction after 9 months is associated with higher levels of chosiness at 15 months and 4 & 7 years and lower intake of fruit & vegetables at 7 years as assessed by questionnaire (Northstone 2001, Coultard 2009). This has not been investigated at younger ages or by the more explicit method of recording foods as eaten. It is likely that there are also other effects on long term diet, such as lower meat intake and eating a less varied diet , which have not previously been investigated.

Dietary information has been collected repeatedly from a 10% sub-sample of the ALSPAC cohort (around 1000 children) at the following ages: 8 months, 1 1/2 years, 3 1/2 years, 5 years and 7 years (the whole ALSPAC cohort was invited to provide dietary information at this age, over 7000 did so). Information was collected by three-day unweighed food records completed by parents or carers at each age. All the dietary data have been coded and prepared and are ready for use. The children were weighed and measured each time their diet was assessed.

Information is available on a range of socio-demographic and lifestyle factors, including the following: parental education, social class and age, housing tenure, financial difficulties and some questionnaire information about physical activities (e.g. time spent watching TV, walking, cycling etc.).

We will use the data collected in ALSPAC to answer the following research questions:

1. Do children eat differently at 8 &18 months, 3 1/2y, 5y and 7y if they are introduced to chewy foods after 9 months?

2. Which nutrient or food group intakes are particularly affected at each age?

3. Is there any lasting effect (up to 7 years) on particlar nutrient or food group intakes?

4. Is there an effect on the variety of foods eaten at each age?

5. Is there any effect on growth up to 7 years?