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Total energy expenditure in 9 month and 12 month infants
P S Davies1, J C Wells, A Hinds
1Queensland University of Technology, School of Human Movement Studies, Australia.
Insights
Infant total energy expenditure is approximately 17-22% lower than recommended levels. This suggests modern feeding practices, not underfeeding, may explain the reduced energy intake and expenditure in infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Human Physiology
- Metabolic Studies
Background:
- Current infant energy intake recommendations are based on older data.
- Understanding energy expenditure in infants is crucial for optimal growth and development.
- Recent changes in infant feeding practices may influence energy requirements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure the total energy expenditure (TEE) in 9- and 12-month-old infants.
- To compare measured TEE with established energy intake recommendations.
- To investigate potential reasons for discrepancies between measured TEE and recommendations.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional community-based study in Cambridge, UK.
- Total energy expenditure assessed using the doubly labeled water technique over 10 days.
- Anthropometric measurements were also collected.
Main Results:
- Mean TEE was measured in 34 infants (9 and 12 months old).
- Measured TEE was approximately 17% lower than recommendations at 9 months and 22% lower at 12 months.
- Results were consistent across sexes.
Conclusions:
- Infant TEE is significantly below current recommendations, aligning with findings in other age groups.
- It is unlikely that infants are underfed; rather, changes in feeding practices and formula composition are probable causes.
- Further research into infant feeding practices and their impact on energy metabolism is warranted.
Objectives:
To measure the total energy expenditure of 9 and 12 month old infants and compare with current recommendations for energy intake.
Design:
Cross-sectional study. Total energy expenditure assessed using the doubly labelled water technique over a 10 d period. Classical anthropometric measurements taken.
Setting:
Community based study in and around Cambridge, UK.
Subjects:
Twenty infants aged 9 months of age and 20 infants aged 12 months of age recruited via local hospital birth records.
Main Outcome Measures:
Total energy expenditure calculated via the doubly labelled water technique.
Results:
Measurements of total energy expenditure was successful in 34 cases. Mean total energy expenditure was 73.5 kcal/kg, 73.2 kcal/kg, 77.1 kcal/kg and 77.6 kcal/kg in the nine month old boys, nine month old girls, twelve month old boys and twelve month old girls respectively. These measurements are approximately 17% below current recommendations (FAO/WHO/UNU, 1985) at nine months of age and 22% below at one year of age.
Conclusion:
The data are consistent with findings in younger infants and older children in that the measurements of total energy expenditure are about 20-25% below current recommendations. It is unlikely that contemporary infants are being underfed and thus more likely that changes in feeding practices and modification of infant formula composition has led to the reduction in energy intake and energy expenditure in such infants.