This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jeanpetr (talk | contribs) at 17:02, 3 May 2012 (→References). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 17:02, 3 May 2012 by Jeanpetr (talk | contribs) (→References)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Premastication or pre-chewing is the act of chewing food for the purpose of physically breaking it down in order to feed another that is incapable of masticating the food by themselves. This is often done by the mother or relatives of a baby to produce baby food capable of being consumed by the child during the weaning process. The chewed food in the form of a bolus is transferred from the mouth of one individual to another, either directly mouth-to-mouth, via utensils, hands, or is further cooked or processed prior to feeding. Many modern societies have strong aversions toward premastication, which have been compared to the aversion towards breastfeeding found in those societies during previous generations.
Premastication and mouth-to-mouth feeding in humans is postulated to have evolved from the regurgitation of food from parent to offspring or male to female (courtship feeding) and has been observed in numerous mammals and animals of other species.
In many human cultures, the act of premastication and direct mouth-to-mouth feeding is linked with the showing of affection, known as kiss feeding. This form of feeding is believed to have evolved into the modern human acts of kissing and French kissing.
Health
The act of premastication is commonly found in all human societies and populations, although it is less prevalent in some than others. The evolution and selective advantage of premastication behaviours is that it supplements the infant diet of breast milk by providing access to more macro- and micro-nutrients. Although disease can be transmitted through saliva in the pre-chewed foods, the benefits conferred outweighed any risks of the practice during the evolution of human behaviour. In the end, the potential benefits and pitfalls of this practice greatly depend on the dietary and medical circumstances of the mother and child.
Advantages
- Complementary to breastfeeding in the health practices of infants and young children, providing large amounts of carbohydrate and protein nutrients not always available through breast milk and micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamin b12 which are essential nutrients present mainly in meat.
- Meats such as beef were likely premasticated during human evolution as hunter-gatherers. This animal-derived iron source is shown to confer benefits to young children (2 years onwards) by improving growth, motor, and cognitive functions. In earlier times, premastication was an important practice that prevented infant iron deficiency.
- Provides immediate and long-term immunological resistance to infections and inhibits immunological hypersensitivity such as asthma through the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, growth factors, and nutrient transporters in the mother's saliva. Premastication may itself promote the development of infant immune systems through antibody generators in the mother's saliva, which help prevent the development of allergies in the infant.
- Premasticated foods allow for better infant digestion through the presence of saliva enzymes lacking in infants. Alpha-amylase from maternal saliva aids in digestion of starches fed to a baby. This may be important in the developed nations since "...milk supplements containing starch are used frequently and if these are introduced into feeds at an early stage, digestion of the starch will require the action of salivary amylase..."
Disadvantages
- Premastication can transmit a wide range of diseases and pathogens from infected parents to their infants through the parents' saliva and open mouth ulcers, including HIV-AIDS as well as possibly hepatitis B virus and Helicobacter pylori.. Given the prevalence of HIV in lower-income populations that practice premastication extensively, the practice is likely an important method for transmission of the virus.
- Saliva can actively transmit various drugs and pharmacologically active substances.
- Bacteria that cause dental caries can be transmitted from mother to infant through the saliva, resulting in bacterial colonization and a strong predisposition to tooth decay in the child.
Kiss Precursor
Premastication/kiss-feeding or kissing has between mother and infant has been observed in all human cultures, with kissing believed to be a socially ritualized form of feeding premasticated food. The similarities between kiss-feeding and human kisses (e.g. French kiss) are very similar in their executions; in the former, the tongue is used to push food from mother to child with the child receiving both the mother's food and tongue in sucking movements, and the latter simply forgoes the premasticated food. In fact, observations across various species and cultures confirms that the act of kissing and premastication have most likely evolved from the similar relationship-based feeding behaviours.
Culture
Actress Alicia Silverstone brought the practice into spotlight when she posted a video of herself premasticating and kiss-feeding her son, resulting in mix reactions from the public. While critisized and being unhygenic by some Silverstone stated: "It's just a thing that has been going on for thousands of years and I didn't think I was inventing anything but in our culture...".
References
- Holmes, Wendy (2007), "Influences on maternal and child nutrition in the highlands of the northern Lao PDR", Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 16 (3): 537–545, PMID 17704036
- Zhang, Yuanyuan (2007-05), "The role of pre-mastication in the evolution of complementary feeding strategies: a bio-cultural analysis" (PDF), Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Honors Theses
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Pelto, Greta; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Habicht, Jean-Pierre (2010), "Premastication: the second arm of infant and young child feeding for health and survival?", Journal of Maternal and Child Nutrition, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, doi:10.1111/j.1740-8709.2009.00200.x
- ^ Eibl-Eibesfeldt, Irenäus (1971), Love and hate: the natural history of behavior patterns, Aldine Transaction, ISBN 978-0202020389
- ^ Eibl-Eibesfeldt, Irenäus (1983), "Chapter 3: A comparative approach to human ethology", in Rajecki, D. W. (ed.), Comparing behavior: studying man studying animals, Routledge
- ^ Van Esterik, Penny and Williams, Anthony and Fewtrell, Mary S. and Tolboom, Jules J.M. and Lack, Gideon and Penagos, Martin (2010), "Commentaries on Premastication: the second arm of infant and young child feeding for health and survival? By Gretel Pelto, Yuanyuan Zhang & Jean-Pierre Habicht", Maternal & Child Nutrition, 6 (1), Blackwell Publishing Ltd.: 19–26, doi:10.1111/j.1740-8709.2009.00227.x
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Hambidge, Jamie E (2006-02), "Meat as a First Complementary Food for Breastfed Infants: Feasibility and Impact on Zinc Intake and Status", Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition, 42 (2): 207–214, doi:10.1097/01.mpg.0000189346.25172.fd
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Hambidge, K Michael coauthors=Sheng, Xiaoyang; Mazariegos, Manolo; Jiang, Tianjiang; Garces, Ana; Li, Dinghua; Westcott, Jamie; Tshefu, Antoinette; Sami, Neelofar; Pasha, Omrana; Chomba, Elwyn; Lokangaka, Adrien; Goco, Norman; Manasyan, Albert; Wright, Linda L; Koso-Thomas, Marion; Bose, Carl; Goldenberg, Robert L; Carlo, Waldemar A; McClure, Elizabeth M and Krebs, Nancy F (2011), "Evaluation of meat as a first complementary food for breastfed infants: impact on iron intake", Nutrition Reviews, 69, Blackwell Publishing Inc: S57 – S63, doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00434.x
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Stoltzfus, Rebecca J. (2011), Iron Interventions for Women and Children in Low-Income Countries, vol. 141, Journal of Nutrition, pp. 756S – 762S, doi:10.3945/jn.110.128793
{{citation}}: zero width space character in|doi=at position 9 (help) - Butterworth, Peter J.; Warren, Frederick J.; Ellis, Peter R. (2011), "Human α-amylase and starch digestion: An interesting marriage", Starch - Stärke, 63 (7), WILEY-VCH Verlag: 395–405, doi:10.1002/star.201000150
- Altman, Lawrence K. (2008-02-07), Pre-Chewed Baby Food Said to Transmit H.I.V., New York Times
- ^ Levison, Judy; Gillespie, Susan L.; Montgomery, Elizabeth (2011), "Think twice before recommending pre-masticated food as a source of infant nutrition", Maternal & Child Nutrition, 7 (1), Blackwell Publishing Ltd: 104, doi:10.1111/j.1740-8709.2010.00289.x
- RYAN, DENISE (2012-4-4), "Pre-chewing baby's food is not that unusual", The Montreal Gazette
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Leader, T.h. (2012-04-09), "It's a weaning process... I think it's adorable': Alicia Silverstone defends controversial practice of pre-chewing baby son's food", Daily Mail