TY - JOUR
T1 - Timing of infant formula introduction in relation to body mass index and overweight at ages 1 and 3 years
T2 - the Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study (BIGCS)
AU - BIGCS Study Group
AU - Yuan, Mingyang
AU - Lu, Minshan
AU - Guo, Yixin
AU - Lam, Kin Bong Hubert
AU - Lu, Jinhua
AU - He, Jianrong
AU - Shen, Songying
AU - Wei, Dongmei
AU - Thomas, G Neil
AU - Cheng, Kar Keung
AU - Qiu, Xiu
PY - 2022/3/10
Y1 - 2022/3/10
N2 - Mounting evidence suggests that the first few months of life are critical for the development of obesity. The relationships between the timing of solid food introduction and the risk of childhood obesity have been examined previously, however, evidence for the association of timing of infant formula introduction remains scarce. This study aimed to examine whether the timing of infant formula introduction is associated with growth z-scores and overweight at ages 1 and 3 years. This study included 5733 full term (≥37gestational weeks) and normal birthweight (≥2500g and <4000g) children in the Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study, a prospective cohort study with data collected at 6 weeks, 6, 12, and 36 months. Compared with infant formula introduction at 0-3 months, introduction at 4-6 months was associated with the lower BMI, weight-for-age and weight-for-length z-scores at 1 and 3 years old. Also, introduction at 4-6 months was associated with the lower odds of at-risk of overweight at age 1 (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.72, 95%CI 0.55, 0.94) and 3 years (adjusted OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.30, 0.85). Introduction at 4-6 months also decreased the odds of overweight at age 1 year (adjusted OR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.21, 0.84), but not at age 3 years. Based on our findings, compared with introduction within the first 3 months, introduction at 4-6 months has a reduction on later high BMI risk and at-risk of overweight. However, these results need to be replicated in other well-designed studies before more firm recommendations can be made.
AB - Mounting evidence suggests that the first few months of life are critical for the development of obesity. The relationships between the timing of solid food introduction and the risk of childhood obesity have been examined previously, however, evidence for the association of timing of infant formula introduction remains scarce. This study aimed to examine whether the timing of infant formula introduction is associated with growth z-scores and overweight at ages 1 and 3 years. This study included 5733 full term (≥37gestational weeks) and normal birthweight (≥2500g and <4000g) children in the Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study, a prospective cohort study with data collected at 6 weeks, 6, 12, and 36 months. Compared with infant formula introduction at 0-3 months, introduction at 4-6 months was associated with the lower BMI, weight-for-age and weight-for-length z-scores at 1 and 3 years old. Also, introduction at 4-6 months was associated with the lower odds of at-risk of overweight at age 1 (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.72, 95%CI 0.55, 0.94) and 3 years (adjusted OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.30, 0.85). Introduction at 4-6 months also decreased the odds of overweight at age 1 year (adjusted OR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.21, 0.84), but not at age 3 years. Based on our findings, compared with introduction within the first 3 months, introduction at 4-6 months has a reduction on later high BMI risk and at-risk of overweight. However, these results need to be replicated in other well-designed studies before more firm recommendations can be made.
KW - body mass index
KW - early feeding
KW - infant formula
KW - overweight
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85126591617&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S000711452200071X
DO - 10.1017/S000711452200071X
M3 - Article
C2 - 35264258
SN - 0007-1145
JO - The British journal of nutrition
JF - The British journal of nutrition
ER -