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The influence of habitual protein intake in early childhood on BMI and age at adiposity rebound: results from the DONALD Study

Abstract

Objective:

To analyse the influence of habitual protein intake in early childhood on age and body mass index (BMI) at adiposity rebound (AR), a potential critical period for the development of obesity.

Subjects:

A total of 313 children (161 boys, 152 girls) participating in the Dortmund Nutritional and Anthropometric Longitudinally Designed Study.

Methods:

Weighted summary indices were created reflecting habitual, energy-adjusted protein intake (expressed as % of energy) and protein intake per kg reference body weight per day (g/kg RBW/day) between the age of 12 and 24 months. Body mass index standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS), age at AR and covariates (mother's BMI, gestational age, breastfeeding and siblings) were included in the final models.

Results:

After adjusting for potential confounders, girls in the highest tertile (T3) of habitual energy-adjusted protein intake had a significantly higher BMI-SDS at AR than those in T1 (T1: −0.61 (95% CI: −0.90; −0.31), T2: −0.49 (−0.79; −0.20), T3: −0.08 (−0.36; 0.20), P for difference=0.01). A comparable association existed with habitual protein intake expressed as g/kg RBW/day (T1: −0.64 (−0.93; −0.36), T2: −0.22 (−0.52; 0.09), T3: −0.25 (−0.54; 0.04), P=0.04). In boys, there were no differences in BMI-SDS at AR between tertiles of habitual protein intake (% of energy or g/kg RBW/day) (P>0.05). Boys in the lowest tertile of habitual energy-adjusted protein intake tended to experience a later AR (T1: 6.0 (5.6; 6.4), T2: 5.5 (5.1; 5.9), T3: 5.4 (5.0; 5.9) years, P=0.07). But neither in girls nor in boys was age at AR significantly different between tertiles of habitual protein intake (% of energy or g/kg RBW/day) (P>0.05).

Conclusion:

A higher habitual protein intake between the age of 12 and 24 months was associated with a higher BMI-SDS at AR in girls, but not in boys. There was no consistent relation between habitual protein intake in early childhood and timing of AR.

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Acknowledgements

The DONALD Study is supported by the Ministry of Science and Research of North Rhine Westphalia, Germany. We are very grateful to the staff of the Research Institute of Child Nutrition for carrying out the anthropometric measurements and for collecting and coding the dietary records, and to Nadina Karaolis-Danckert for proof-reading the final draft. Finally, we thank all children and families for participating in the study.

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Correspondence to A L B Günther.

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Günther, A., Buyken, A. & Kroke, A. The influence of habitual protein intake in early childhood on BMI and age at adiposity rebound: results from the DONALD Study. Int J Obes 30, 1072–1079 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803288

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