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By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
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As the mother of a 20-month-old boy, pediatric dietitian Cinthia Scott is gradually introducing her son to plenty of new foods, and while everything is best in moderation, there's one unexpected nutrient that she isn't going to restrict.
Alongside a video of her toddler happily tucking into a stick of butter, Scott insisted that parents shouldn't be afraid of saturated fats or regard them as harmful for infants because they're actually quite the opposite.
After her post went viral on TikTok, Scott told Newsweek: "Fat does not have to be restricted in a young child's diet before 2 years old. All foods have a benefit, even those with negative associations, because children have different nutritional needs than adults."
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For many older children and adults, saturated fats can be risky. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a publication released by the federal departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, recommends limiting them to less than 10 percent of daily calories. But Scott hopes to show that these fats can provide numerous developmental benefits to children under the age of 2 because the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says fat is essential for providing energy and growth and shouldn't be restricted.
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Guidance from the AAP suggests that adult dietary goals, which often include cutting back on fatty content, don't apply to infants younger than 2, so they shouldn't be held to the same restrictions. But after they reach 24 months of age, the APP says, parents should encourage children to choose foods with less saturated fats so that by the age of 5 their diet is more reflective of an adult's.
"Fat is a key building block for brain health, so a reduced intake could lead to impact a child's brain development," Scott said. "The first 1,000 days of life are the most important for providing nutrition that fuels their growth and sets the stage for all the days that follow."
As well as being a registered pediatric dietitian and board-certified lactation consultant, Scott is a mom who knows firsthand how hard it can be to try to get every parenting decision correct. But by sharing her insights on TikTok (@the.baby.dietitian), she hopes to offer tips and highlight the "misinformed diet culture."
There's already been an overwhelming response to the video about eating fatty foods, with more than 767,300 views and 54,000 likes in a matter of days.
However, since posting the clip on TikTok, Scott admits she has received plenty of backlash from social media users who don't agree with her advice. If they don't want to believe her, she points out that even breast milk is high in saturated fats and perhaps it isn't as harmful as people might think.
She continued: "Most people associate saturated fatty acids with heart disease and obesity, and they don't realize that children have different needs than adults. Human milk and formula even contain saturated fat for optimal growth and development.
"Our job is to provide balanced meals and allow our children to decide how much or how little of the meal they want to consume. Moderation and balance are key when introducing solids and ensuring your child receives adequate nutrition from a variety of food groups," she said.
The video has received more than 1,300 comments so far, many people have thanked her for the guidance, while others were keen to ask even more questions.
One comment reads: "My toddler loves to eat that same butter."
Another person wrote: "This is good news. I can finally let my son eat the butter he steals from the fridge. He loves butter."
One person responded: "I feel like unrestricted doesn't mean the context of eating whatever you want from a block.
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