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Growth comparison of breast-fed and formula-fed infants
A F Roche1, S Guo, R M Siervogel
1Department of Community Health, Wright State University School of Medicine, Yellow Springs, OH 45387.
Insights
Infant growth varied slightly across feeding groups, with breast milk, Isomil, and Similac formulas showing some differences in weight and length by six months. Overall growth remained within normal ranges for all infants studied.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Infant Growth and Development
- Comparative Nutrition
Background:
- Infant feeding practices significantly influence growth and development.
- Understanding the impact of different infant formulas versus breast milk is crucial for optimal child health.
- Existing research highlights potential variations in growth outcomes based on diet.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare infant growth patterns (weight and length) across different feeding regimens.
- To analyze growth differences between breast milk, Good Start, Isomil, and Similac formulas.
- To identify any formula-specific effects on infant anthropometrics after adjusting for baseline factors.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study analyzing infant growth data.
- Comparison of four feeding groups: breast milk, Good Start, Isomil, and Similac.
- Statistical adjustments for birth size and parental stature to isolate feeding effects.
Main Results:
- All feeding groups exhibited growth within the normal range.
- Similac was associated with greater weight gain in some infants.
- Breast milk and Isomil groups showed lower weights after two months.
- Recumbent length differences were observed at six months, with variations by sex and formula.
Conclusions:
- While overall infant growth is generally normal across tested formulas and breast milk, subtle differences in weight and length emerge.
- Specific formulas like Similac may promote more significant weight gain.
- Breast milk and Isomil might be associated with lower weights at later infant stages.
- Formula choice may have sex-specific impacts on infant length at six months.
Abstract:
Growth during infancy was analyzed using data from a study in which groups of infants were fed breast-milk or one of three formulas: Good Start, Isomil, or Similac. After adjustments for size at birth and parental stature, growth was within the normal range for all feeding groups and there were few significant differences in growth between those fed different formulas. There was, however, some evidence that Similac was associated with larger gains in weight and that those fed breast-milk or Isomil had lower weights at ages older than two months. Additionally, at six months, recumbent length tended to be smaller in the Isomil group of boys and in both the Isomil and Similac groups of girls and larger in the Good Start groups of boys and girls.