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Long-Term Adverse Effects of Early Growth Acceleration or Catch-Up Growth
1The Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.
Insights
Accelerated infant growth, particularly in healthy full-term babies, is linked to increased long-term risks of obesity and non-communicable diseases. However, rapid growth may benefit preterm infants
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Preventing growth faltering in infancy offers significant health benefits.
- The impact of accelerated infant growth on long-term health outcomes remains a critical research area.
- Observational and experimental studies indicate a link between rapid infant weight gain and later health issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between infant growth patterns and long-term health.
- To determine if early growth acceleration influences the risk of obesity and non-communicable diseases.
- To inform strategies for optimizing infant growth to mitigate future health risks.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of observational studies across diverse populations and birth weights.
- Review of experimental (randomized) studies in breast- and formula-fed infants.
- Examination of data from both low- and high-income countries.
Main Results:
- Rapid weight gain in infancy (upward centile crossing) is associated with increased long-term risk of obesity and non-communicable diseases.
- This association is consistent across various infant populations, including preterm and term infants, and those with different birth weights.
- Experimental evidence supports a causal link between early growth acceleration, infant nutrition, and subsequent obesity risk.
Conclusions:
- Optimizing infant growth patterns is crucial for addressing the global epidemic of non-communicable diseases.
- Rapid growth benefits neurodevelopment in preterm infants.
- Growth acceleration in healthy term infants, regardless of birth weight, may adversely affect long-term health.
Background:
Whilst prevention of growth faltering has both short- and long-term health benefits, whether too fast or accelerated infant growth adversely affects later health outcomes is controversial and a major focus of research.
Summary:
Many observational studies suggest that rapid weight gain in infancy (upward centile crossing) increases the long-term risk of obesity and non-communicable disease. This association has been seen in infants from low- and high-income countries, in infants born preterm or at term, and those born with normal or low birth weight for gestation. Experimental (randomized) studies in both breast- and formula-fed infants support a causal link between early growth acceleration and infant nutrition and later risk of obesity. These observations suggest that strategies to optimize the pattern of infant growth could make a major contribution to stemming the current global epidemic of non-communicable disease. Key Messages: The optimal pattern of infant weight gain is likely to differ in different populations. The benefits of rapid infant weight gain for later neurodevelopment favors the promotion of rapid growth in infants born preterm. However, growth acceleration in healthy infants born at term (either normal or low birth weight for gestation) is likely to have adverse effects for long-term health.
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