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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Rapid infant weight gain predicts childhood overweight

Barbara A Dennison1, Lynn S Edmunds, Howard H Stratton

  • 1Bureau of Health Risk Reduction, Division of Chronic Disease Prevention and Adult Health, New York State Department of Health, 150 Broadway, 3 West, Riverview, Albany, New York 12204, USA. bad10@health.state.ny.us

Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)
|May 2, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Rapid infant weight gain is linked to a higher risk of childhood overweight. This association persists regardless of ethnicity or breastfeeding, highlighting the need for early nutritional guidance.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Nutrition Science

Background:

  • Childhood overweight is a growing public health concern with long-term health implications.
  • Early life factors, including infant growth patterns, may influence the risk of developing overweight later in childhood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between rapid infant weight gain (birth to 6 months) and the risk of childhood overweight at 4 years of age.
  • To examine if this association differs based on ethnicity or breastfeeding history.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional survey of children in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in New York State (1999-2000).
  • Chart review abstracted birth weight, 6-month weight, and subsequent anthropometric measurements.
  • Overweight at 4 years defined as body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile for age and sex.

Main Results:

  • Rapid infant weight gain was significantly associated with being overweight at 4 years (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.3-1.6), after adjusting for confounders.
  • Hispanic children had twice the odds of being overweight at 4 years compared to non-Hispanic children (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.5-3.3).
  • The highest quintile of infant weight gain accounted for 19% of the population-attributable risk for overweight at 4 years.

Conclusions:

  • Rapid infant weight gain is an independent risk factor for childhood overweight at 4 years in a multi-ethnic cohort.
  • Identifying factors contributing to rapid infant weight gain is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
  • Early nutritional strategies informed by infant growth patterns may help prevent childhood overweight.
Abstract

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