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Milk cereal drink increases BMI risk at 12 and 18 months, but formula does not

Gerd Almquist-Tangen1, Jovanna Dahlgren, Josefine Roswall

  • 1Child Health Care Unit, Region Halland, Sweden; Department of Paediatrics, Institute of Clinical Sciences at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. Gerd.almquist-tangen@regionhalland.se.

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|September 14, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Introducing solid foods like milk cereal drinks at six months is linked to higher body mass index (BMI) in infants. Bottle-feeding at four months did not impact infant BMI later on.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Nutrition Science
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Infant feeding practices significantly influence child growth, obesity risk, and long-term health outcomes.
  • Understanding the relationship between early diet and body mass index (BMI) is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of infant dietary patterns on body mass index (BMI) at 12 and 18 months of age.
  • To identify specific feeding practices associated with increased BMI in early childhood.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study followed 2666 children recruited between 2007-2008.
  • Parental questionnaires captured feeding practices, and anthropometric data were collected by healthcare professionals.

Main Results:

  • At 6 months, while breastfeeding was common (58.3%), exclusive breastfeeding was low (1.6%). Many infants consumed solids (91.8%), porridge (87.7%), or milk cereal drink (46.6%).
  • Bottle-feeding at 4 months did not correlate with higher BMI at 12 or 18 months.
  • Milk cereal drink consumption at 6 months was associated with increased risk of high BMI at 12 months (OR 1.58) and 18 months (OR 1.52).
  • Factors influencing milk cereal drink use included lower parental education and maternal obesity (increasing use), and troubled sleep and parental group participation (decreasing use).

Conclusions:

  • Formula feeding at 4 months does not predict elevated BMI at 12 or 18 months.
  • Milk cereal drink consumption at 6 months emerges as a significant risk factor for higher BMI in early childhood.
  • Parental factors, particularly educational attainment, play a role in the selection of milk cereal drinks.
Abstract

Keywords:
BMIBreastfeedingFeeding patternsInfantMilk cereal drinkOverweight

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