Infant Feeding and Ethnic Differences in Body Mass Index during Childhood: A Prospective Study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nutrition
• Anthropometry
• Cross-cultural Health Studies

Background:

• Ethnic variations in childhood body mass index (BMI) are observed globally.
• Infant feeding practices, including breastfeeding and complementary feeding (CF), are potential modulators of childhood BMI.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for developing targeted public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate ethnic differences in childhood BMI between Dutch and Turkish children.
• To examine the influence of infant feeding factors (breastfeeding, milk feeding, CF) on these ethnic BMI disparities.
• To identify specific infant feeding components, particularly CF variety, associated with childhood BMI.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study involving 244 children (116 Dutch, 128 Turkish) in the Netherlands.
• Body mass index (BMI) standard deviation scores (sds) measured at 2, 3, and 5 years using WHO references.
• Linear mixed regression analyses were employed to assess ethnic differences and the impact of infant feeding factors.

Main Results:

• Turkish children exhibited higher BMI-sds at ages 3 and 5 compared to Dutch children.
• Complementary feeding (CF) factors, especially CF variety, partially attenuated ethnic differences in BMI-sds at ages 3 and 5.
• Milk feeding frequency showed a minimal impact on ethnic BMI differences.

Conclusions:

• Complementary feeding (CF) factors, particularly variety, contribute to ethnic differences in childhood BMI between Dutch and Turkish children.
• The specific role of CF variety in influencing childhood BMI warrants further in-depth investigation.
• Findings highlight the importance of culturally sensitive infant feeding guidance to address childhood obesity disparities.