US infants eating unhealthy food

United States infants are eating fattening foods such as french fries and drinking soft drinks instead of milk, which may help to explain the country's growing obesity problem.

A survey of the eating habits of 3000 youngsters aged 4 months to 24 months found their diets were similar to those of older children - heavy on soft drinks, sweets and other junk foods, and light on vegetables and fruit.

"French fries are the most popular vegetable eaten by children 19 to 24 months old," researcher Dr Kathleen Reidy told an American Dietetic Association conference.

"Twenty to 25 per cent of these kids did not eat a single healthy vegetable on the day of the survey, and 25 to 30 per cent did not eat a single fruit."