WASHINGTON (AP) – High-fiber diets that are low in fat and cholesterol might be healthy for adults but not for babies, according to infant dietary guidelines released Wednesday by a major baby-food maker and endorsed by federal nutrition officials and pediatricians.

In fact, diets recommeded for adults might actually retard growth in babies and toddlers by denying them the high-energy foods they need, the guidelines say.

The recommendations were developed by Gerber Products Co. and the American Dietetic Association.

“The key message is that babies need to be fed like babies, not like adults,” said Dr. Guy Johnson, director of infant nutrition for Gerber.

Gerber said its “Dietary Guidelines for Infants,” outlined in a 19-page booklet, are the first comprehensive recommendations aimed at children under two who are no longer relying solely on breast milk or infant formula.

The company said the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services, are directed at healthy Americans in the general population and “should not be strictly applied” to infants.

Susan Welsh, director of nutrition education at the Agriculture Department, said the infant guidelines “provide very useful information and are not inconsistent” with the department’s guidelines, which include a brief section on infant diets.