Total energy expenditure in 9 month and 12 month infants

Abstract

Objectives: To measure the total energy expenditure of 9 and 12 month old infants and compare with current recommendations for energy intake.

Design: Cross-sectional study. Total energy expenditure assessed using the doubly labelled water technique over a 10 d period. Classical anthropometric measurements taken.

Setting: Community based study in and around Cambridge, UK.

Subjects: Twenty infants aged 9 months of age and 20 infants aged 12 months of age recruited via local hospital birth records.

Main outcome measures: Total energy expenditure calculated via the doubly labelled water technique.

Results: Measurements of total energy expenditure was successful in 34 cases. Mean total energy expenditure was 73.5 kcal/kg, 73.2 kcal/kg, 77.1 kcal/kg and 77.6 kcal/kg in the nine month old boys, nine month old girls, twelve month old boys and twelve month old girls respectively. These measurements are approximately 17% below current recommendations (FAO/WHO/UNU, 1985) at nine months of age and 22% below at one year of age.

Conclusion: The data are consistent with findings in younger infants and older children in that the measurements of total energy expenditure are about 20–25% below current recommendations. It is unlikely that contemporary infants are being underfed and thus more likely that changes in feeding practices and modification of infant formula composition has led to the reduction in energy intake and energy expenditure in such infants.

Sponsorship: Nestlé Foundation.