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Effects of feeding patterns during the first 6 months on weight development of infants ages 0-12 months: a

Chun-Ying Zhang1,2, Wei Zhao1, Xiao-Ping Pan1

  • 1National Center for Women and Children's Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 100081, China.

Scientific Reports
|July 29, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Exclusive breastfeeding and mixed feeding in the first 6 months are linked to higher infant weight-for-age Z scores compared to formula feeding. Exclusive breastfeeding offers sustained benefits up to 12 months.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Nutrition Science
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Infant feeding patterns significantly impact growth and development.
  • Understanding the long-term effects of early feeding choices is crucial for child health.
  • Existing research highlights variations in infant weight trajectories based on feeding methods.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of infant feeding patterns (exclusive breastfeeding, formula feeding, mixed feeding) within the first 6 months on weight development up to 12 months.
  • To analyze the association between early feeding strategies and weight-for-age Z scores (WAZ) in infants.
  • To determine if exclusive breastfeeding offers sustained weight advantages throughout the first year of life.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized monitoring data from the Chinese Maternal and Child Health Project (September 2015 - June 2019).
  • Categorized infant feeding patterns into exclusive breastfeeding, formula feeding, or mixed feeding for the first 6 months.
  • Employed a multilevel model to analyze the effect of feeding patterns on WAZ, adjusting for infant, maternal, family, and regional characteristics. WHO 2006 Child Growth Standard was used.

Main Results:

  • Both exclusively breastfed and mixed-fed infants showed statistically significantly higher WAZ compared to formula-fed infants.
  • A negative interaction between feeding patterns and infant age was observed, indicating changing weight dynamics over time.
  • Exclusively breastfed infants were heavier than formula-fed infants from birth to 12 months; mixed-fed infants were heavier until 8 months, after which formula-fed infants surpassed them.

Conclusions:

  • Infant feeding patterns during the first 6 months significantly influence weight development throughout the first year.
  • Exclusive breastfeeding appears to be the most beneficial feeding pattern for sustained positive weight development in infants.
  • Mixed feeding also shows advantages over formula feeding in early infancy, but the benefits diminish over time.

Keywords:
Feeding patternsInfantsMultilevel modelWeightWeight-for-age Z score

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