Popular Baby Drinks Linked To Unwanted Weight Gain
A recent study suggests that adding cereal to a baby’s bottle, a practice often used to introduce solids and supplement breast milk, could lead to rapid weight gain in infants. Published in Acta Paediatrica, the study found that babies fed milk cereal drinks during their first year had a 50% higher likelihood of experiencing rapid weight gain. Despite this link, the study did not find a direct association between milk cereal drinks and higher body mass index (BMI) or waist-to-height ratios by age six.
The research, led by Annelie Lindholm from Halmstad University in Sweden, highlights that early rapid weight gain, rather than the milk cereal drinks themselves, was more strongly tied to an increased risk of childhood obesity. Infants who gained weight quickly were twice as likely to have a high BMI by the age of six. The researchers noted that while their findings suggest a potential connection between early weight gain and childhood obesity, more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of this practice.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has long advised against adding cereal to bottles, citing potential risks such as choking, food allergies, and excessive calorie intake. The AAP emphasizes that babies’ digestive systems are not prepared to handle cereal until around six months of age, and they recommend offering solids in the form of spoon-feeding once the baby is developmentally ready.
The study, conducted in Sweden, tracked the health of over 1,300 children, collecting data from family surveys in 2007 and 2008, with follow-up information gathered in 2013 and 2014. The results showed that 62% of infants were fed milk cereal drinks between six months and one year, and 18% of them experienced rapid weight gain. Breastfeeding during the first four months was found to be associated with lower rates of rapid weight gain, suggesting that breastfeeding may offer some protective benefits.
While milk cereal drinks were linked to faster weight gain in infancy, the researchers concluded that they did not directly contribute to obesity later in childhood. They noted that the study’s findings require further investigation to understand the long-term impact of feeding practices and rapid weight gain on childhood weight trajectories.
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