The American Academy of Pediatrics recently published their clinical guideline for the evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents with obesity. Childhood obesity is considered a complex chronic illness heavily influenced by negative environmental and social determinants of health (SDoH) that affect energy regulation. Examples of adverse SDoH include food insecurity, lack of fresh produce, and lack of safe spaces for physical activity.
Although it is clear from the AAP guideline that there is not one cause for childhood overweight and obesity, the question for this week is whether the amount of protein intake during the first year influences the risk of childhood BMI.
The CHOP study is a multicenter double blind randomized controlled trial in Belgium, Spain, Germany, Italy, and Poland that enrolled 1678 healthy term infants between 2002-2004 in their first 8 weeks of life, some of whom were formula fed and others breastfed (for at least 3 months). The protocol randomized the formula fed infants into 2 groups, one receiving formula with 1.25 grams/100ml of protein, and the other 2.05 g/100ml for the first year of life, with each group receiving the same number of calories. In 2009 the authors reported that the infants who received the higher protein formula had a higher weight %, weight-for-length %, and BMI at 6 months, 12 months and 24 months of age compared to the infants who received the lower protein formula. The breastfed infants had lower measurements compared to either formula group.
Fast forward to when these infants were 11 years of age- see the question!
Aruna Sangisetty
babies drinking breast milk learn to self regulate and have differrent eating habits
mother producing breast milk changes constitution of milk according the need of the child
like premeture milk is different from meture milk
3 months breast feeding not enough to probably show that much difference verses long term feeding
environmental factors like easy access to processed food sedentary activity and lack of family structure and too expensive fruits and vegetables
one child eating at mother father and grand parents step family and their parents with different cultures etc
finally eating food as emotional and comfort way out