Facts and fictions about infantile obesity

This review assesses the present state of knowledge on the etiology of infantile obesity. Current controversies such as bottle vs. breast feeding, the importance of differences in early feeding and activity patterns, and the role of early adipose cell development are discussed. There is continuing debate on the relationship of early obesity to later body weight. The major limitation of current research is the lack of adequate consideration of social and environmental factors particularly how eating and activity behaviors develop and are maintained. The emphasis of this paper is on highlighting the opportunities for different learning experiences inherent in different feeding environments during early life. Implications for research particularly the need for longitudinal studies on the establishment of characteristic eating and activity patterns are discussed.