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Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
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Published on: August 7, 2017

Associations between postnatal weight gain, change in postnatal pulmonary function, formula feeding and early asthma

S Turner1, G Zhang, S Young

  • 1School of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Western Australia and Department of Respiratory Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Australia. s.w.turner@abdn.ac.uk

Thorax
|October 2, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Infant weight gain is linked to poorer lung function development. Breastfeeding may reduce this risk and early asthma symptoms, potentially influencing the "fat happy wheezer" profile.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Respiratory Health
  • Infant Growth and Development
  • Nutritional Epidemiology

Background:

  • Factors influencing infant lung function are crucial for long-term respiratory health.
  • Understanding the relationship between infant weight changes and lung function is important for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate factors affecting lung function in infancy.
  • To test the hypothesis that infant weight gain negatively impacts lung function development.

Main Methods:

  • Measured infant weight, length, and maximal flow at functional residual capacity (V'maxFRC) at 1 and 12 months.
  • Collected data on asthma symptoms and formula feeding introduction via questionnaires.
  • Analyzed associations between weight changes, V'maxFRC changes, and asthma symptoms.

Main Results:

  • Infant weight gain showed an inverse association with changes in V'maxFRC (r = -0.18, p<0.001).
  • Higher weight gain and reduced V'maxFRC change were linked to increased asthma risk by age 3.
  • Exclusive breastfeeding to 6 months correlated with reduced weight gain and fewer asthma symptoms at age 3.

Conclusions:

  • Infant weight gain is inversely related to lung function development.
  • Postnatal weight gain may influence transient early asthma symptoms, potentially modifiable by breastfeeding.
  • Findings may relate to the 'fat happy wheezer' syndrome, highlighting the role of infant feeding practices.
Abstract

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