Neonatal and infant feeding: effect on bone density at 4 years

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Nutrition Science
• Bone Health

Background:

• Infant feeding practices are crucial for early development.
• The composition of infant formula, specifically the inclusion of palm olein oil, has been a subject of nutritional research.
• Understanding the long-term effects of infant nutrition on bone development is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between infant feeding types (human milk, palm olein-free formula, palm olein formula) during the first four months of life and bone mineral density at four years of age.
• To determine if palm olein in infant formula affects bone mineral content and bone mineral density in early childhood.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of healthy 4-year-old children was studied.
• Infant feeding history (human milk, formula without palm olein, formula with palm olein) was collected.
• Bone mineral density and content were assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) by a blinded radiologist.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in bone mineral content or bone mineral density were observed among the three feeding groups at age 4.
• Bone mineral density and content were influenced by gender, with males exhibiting higher values than females.
• These findings were consistent regardless of the infant feeding type.

Conclusions:

• The type of infant feeding during the first four months of life, including the use of palm olein-containing formula, is not associated with bone mineral density at age four.
• Palm olein in infant formula does not appear to negatively impact bone development in healthy children up to age four.