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Relationship between growth and feeding in infancy and body mass index at the age of 6 years

International Journal of Obesity volume 27, pages 1523–1527 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between size and growth measurements in infancy to body mass index (BMI) at 6 y.

DESIGN: A longitudinal observation study on randomly chosen infants’ growth and consumption in infancy. Follow-up until the age of 6 y.

SUBJECTS: A total of 90 children who were born healthy and full-term.

MEASUREMENTS: Weight and height were measured at maternity wards and healthcare centers in Iceland throughout infancy and at 6 y. Food records were made every month during infancy. At 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 months, food was weighed to calculate food and nutrient intake.

RESULTS: Weight gain from birth to 12 months as a ratio of birth weight was positively related to BMI at the age of 6 y in both genders (B=2.9±1.0, P=0.008, and B=2.0±0.9, P=0.032 for boys and girls, respectively). Boys in the highest quartile of protein intake (E%) at the age of 9–12 months had significantly higher BMI (17.8±2.4 kg/m2) at 6 y than the lowest (15.6±1.0 kg/m2, P=0.039) and the second lowest (15.3±0.8 kg/m2, P=0.01) quartile. Energy intake was not different between groups. Together, weight gain at 0–12 months and protein intake at 9–12 months explained 50% of the variance in BMI among 6-y-old boys.

CONCLUSION: Rapid growth during the first year of life is associated with increased BMI at the age of 6 y in both genders. In boys, high intake of protein in infancy could also contribute to childhood obesity.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Hildur Atladottir, nutritionist, for her valuable help in the data collection. This study was supported by a research grant to Inga Thorsdottir from The Icelandic Research Council, Research Fund of the University of Iceland, and to Ingibjörg Gunnarsdottir from the Fund for research training and graduate education.

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  1. Landspitali-University Hospital & Department of Food Science, Unit for Nutrition Research, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

    I Gunnarsdottir & I Thorsdottir

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Correspondence to I Gunnarsdottir.

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Gunnarsdottir, I., Thorsdottir, I. Relationship between growth and feeding in infancy and body mass index at the age of 6 years. Int J Obes 27, 1523–1527 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802438

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