Toddlerhood (ages 2-3) is a critical window when the gut microbiome is still developing and eating habits are being established. Yet, many Canadian toddlers eat diets high in sugar and salt, which may affect long-term health. This study will test whether a MED diet can improve dietary inflammation, gut health, and body composition in toddlers and whether a tailored nutrition education program for parents can help families maintain healthy eating patterns.
In this study, toddlers will be randomly assigned to a 3-week MED diet or their usual diet. Families in the MED diet group will receive free meal boxes for the 3 weeks, plus guidance from a nutrition researcher through a structured education program. The standard diet group will continue their regular diet with general nutrition advice. Researchers will collect dietary information, body composition assessments, and stool samples to measure gut microbiome composition and metabolites.
This first study of a controlled diet intervention in toddlers, combining behavioral support, high-quality food provision, and advanced gut microbiome analysis, will help understand how early diet shapes lifelong eating habits and health, guiding public health strategies and precision nutrition approaches to prevent chronic disease from early life.
Parent is ≥19 years of age.
Carried a singleton pregnancy.
Delivered at term (≥37 weeks gestation).
Delivered vaginally or by cesarean section.
Toddler has food allergies or dietary restrictions (e.g., gluten-free) that make it difficult to follow a Mediterranean diet.
Toddler is at high risk for food allergies (e.g., strong family history of multiple food allergies common to the Mediterranean diet).
Toddler is already following a Mediterranean diet.
Toddler has had recent or active consumption of antibiotics, probiotics, or prebiotic drops.