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How did babies grow 100 years ago?

L T Weaver1

  • 1Department of Child Health, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. lweaver@clinmed.gla.ac.uk

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|December 2, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Over the last century, infant weight has increased by approximately 1 kg, reflecting improvements in hygiene and nutrition. This secular trend in infant growth is observable in both breast-fed and formula-fed babies.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Human Growth and Development
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Infant weight growth patterns have evolved over the past century.
  • Growth charts have been utilized for postnatal health surveillance for 100 years.
  • Historical infant feeding practices and health outcomes differed significantly from present standards.

Observation:

  • A notable increase of approximately 1 kg in the weight of 1-year-olds has been observed over the last century.
  • This secular trend in infant weight gain is evident in both breast-fed and formula-fed infants.
  • Contemporary World Health Organization (WHO) infant weight growth standards allow for the observation of this secular change.

Findings:

  • Improved hygiene and nutrition are likely drivers of the observed secular increase in infant physical stature.
  • Breast-fed infants exhibit slower weight growth compared to formula-fed infants, a pattern consistent across historical and modern feeding practices.
  • Variability in infant growth underscores the dynamic nature of developmental processes throughout the lifespan.

Implications:

  • The observed differences in infant growth trajectories may influence our understanding of obesity and cardiovascular disease risk factors.
  • The plasticity of developmental processes necessitates a nuanced approach to interpreting infant growth standards.
  • The World Health Organization (WHO) infant growth standard should not be considered a universal ideal growth trajectory for all infants.

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