Infant feeding practices and subsequent development of adipose tissue

The main aspects of infant feeding that have been studied in humans in association with the subsequent development of adipose tissue include breastfeeding, rapid infancy weight gain, and weaning practices. While observational studies have consistently shown a protective effect of breastfeeding on the development of obesity, these studies may be confounded by unmeasured or unknown factors, as suggested by one study using a sibling design and one study using a randomized breastfeeding promotion intervention design. Observational studies and findings from a limited number of experimental studies suggest that rapid weight gain during infancy may be associated with an increased risk for obesity in childhood and adulthood. The association of weaning practices with later obesity has not been extensively studied, and the preliminary findings are inconsistent. Additional research studies, especially randomized interventions with long-term follow-up, are necessary in order to assess if short nutrition interventions during the critical period of infancy can have long-term benefits on the prevention of obesity.