Babies risk kidney damage being fed baked beans and cows’ milk

Babies being fed a diet of processed foods and cows’ milk are at risk of kidney damage.

Findings by researchers at the University of Bristol Children of the 90s study, show a whopping 70 per cent of eight-month-old babies have a salt intake more than double the guidelines recommend.

Salty processed food for adults including gravy, baked beans and tins of spaghetti are being fed to young babies.

Many are also being given cows’ milk as a main drink during weaning, which is strictly not recommended until a baby has reached the age of at least 12 months.

Cows’ milk has higher levels of salt than both breast or formula milk.

As well as damaging the kidneys, parents feeding babies this type of food and drink are also establishing poor eating practices, leaving children with a taste for salty food.

Researchers on the project found most parents introducing solids to their baby when they were as young as three to four months.

The new findings have just been published online in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The nutritionists  who conducted the research, Dr Pauline Emmett and Vicky Cribb say: “This research suggests that clear advice is needed for parents about what foods are suitable for infants. This should be given to all parents and carers and should include the important advice not to use cows’ milk as a main drink before 12 months of age.”