The care of infants with rapid weight gain: Should we be doing more?

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Public Health
• Obesity Prevention

Background:

• Rapid weight gain (RWG) in infancy is a significant risk factor for developing childhood obesity.
• Current approaches to preventing RWG in infancy have shown limited success.
• There is a lack of established protocols for managing infants identified with RWG in healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for routine screening of RWG in infants within healthcare settings.
• To propose a framework for non-stigmatizing discussions with families regarding infant growth and healthy practices.
• To highlight key areas for intervention and further research in early life obesity prevention.

Main Methods:

• This viewpoint paper synthesizes existing literature on infant growth and obesity prevention.
• It proposes a discussion framework based on six core topics from early life obesity prevention studies.
• It identifies gaps in current research, including the need for a standardized definition and measurement of RWG.

Main Results:

• Routine screening for RWG in infancy is proposed as an opportunity for early intervention.
• A six-topic framework (breastfeeding, formula feeding, complementary feeding, sleep, responsive parenting, growth chart education) is suggested for family discussions.
• The study highlights the need for standardized definitions and measurement time points for RWG.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare providers should routinely screen for RWG in infants.
• Identified RWG presents an opportunity for proactive, supportive conversations with families about healthy infant practices.
• Further research is required to establish definitive guidelines, standardize RWG definitions, and determine optimal measurement periods.