scholarly journals Reporting Accuracy of Energy Intake Among Exclusively Formula-Fed Infants (P11-097-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jillian Trabulsi ◽  
Lindsay Domino ◽  
Nicole Stouffer ◽  
Virginia Stallings ◽  
Dale Schoeller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Energy Requirement ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Term Infants ◽  
Reporting Accuracy ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Diet Records ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives Assessment of diet is important for understanding nutrition-related health outcomes. Like all methods, diet assessment is subject to error. Error, and in turn reporting accuracy, have been studied extensively in the adult literature but to a lesser extent in the pediatric literature. In the present study, we utilized data on energy intake (EI) and total energy expenditure (TEE) in a racially diverse and contemporary cohort of healthy exclusively formula-fed newborns to determine EI reporting accuracy. Methods In 0.75-month-old term infants (n = 113; 62% black), we measured TEE using the doubly labeled water method and EI using the 3-day weighed bottle method with diet records. Mothers were provided with pre-weighed bottles from which to feed their infants and bottles were weighed by study staff upon return; diet records were analyzed using Nutrient Data Software for Research. Since energy is needed for growth, the estimated energy requirement (EER) was calculated using TEE + energy cost of tissue deposition (175 kcal/d). EI was defined as the mean energy intake over the 3-day period and reporting accuracy was defined as the ratio of EI: EER, which should be equivalent to 1.0 in healthy infants. The cutoff range for implausible reporters was: greater than or less than 1.0 –2*the square root of the average within subject coefficient of variation for EI (12.5%)/100 and TEE (8.2%)/100. EI: EER ratios within the cutoff range (i.e., 0.778-1.222) were categorized as plausible reports, and those below or above the cutoff categorized as non-plausible under-reports and over-reports of EI. Results The mean EI: EER was 1.037, with a minimum and maximum of 0.360 and 1.907, respectively. Approximately half (49%) of the ratios were deemed plausible, whereas the remainder were implausible under reports (24%) or over reports (27%). Among plausible reports, the mean EI: EER ratio was 0.990 with a minimum and maximum of 0.778 and 1.217, respectively. Conclusions Despite using the weighed bottle method, only half of the EI reports were plausible. Future research needs to optimize the weighed bottle method to improve accuracy among newly parturient mothers, and consider the accuracy of reported EI when evaluating the impact of early diet on health outcomes. Funding Sources NIH Grants HD072307 and HD094908.

The underrepresentation of female participants in studies assessing the impact of high-dose exercise on cardiovascular outcomes: a scoping review

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Pallikadavath ◽  
R Patel ◽  
CL Kemp ◽  
M Hafejee ◽  
N Peckham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scoping Review ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Cardiovascular Outcomes ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Review Protocol ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Funding Acknowledgements

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction Cardiovascular adaptations as a result of exercise conducted at high-intensity and high-volume are often termed the ‘Athlete’s heart’. Studies have shown that these cardiovascular adaptations vary between sexes. It is important that both sexes are well represented in this literature. However, many studies assessing the impact of high-dose exercise on cardiovascular outcomes under-recruit female participants. Purpose This scoping review aimed to evaluate the representation of females in studies assessing the impact of high-dose exercise on cardiovascular outcomes and demonstrate how this has changed over time. Methods The scoping review protocol as outlined by Arksey and O’Malley was used. OVID and EMBASE databases were searched and studies independently reviewed by two reviewers. Studies must have investigated the effects of high-dose exercise on cardiovascular outcomes. To assess how the recruitment of females has changed over time, two methods were used. One, the median study date was used to categorise studies into two groups. Two, studies were divided into deciles to form ten equal groups over the study period. Mean percentage of female recruitment and percentage of studies that failed to include females were calculated. Results Overall, 250 studies were included. Over half the studies (50.8%, n = 127) did not include female participants. Only 3.2% (n = 8) did not include male participants. Overall, mean percentage recruitment was 18.2%. The mean percentage of recruitment was 14.5% before 2011 and 21.8% after 2011. The most recent decile of studies demonstrated the highest mean percentage of female recruitment (29.3%) and lowest number of studies that did not include female participants (26.9%). Conclusion Female participants are significantly underrepresented in studies assessing cardiovascular outcomes caused by high-dose exercise. The most recent studies show that female recruitment may be improving, however, this still falls significantly short for equal representation. Risk factors, progression and management of cardiovascular diseases vary between sexes, hence, translating findings from male dominated data is not appropriate. Future investigators should aim to establish barriers and strategies to optimise fair recruitment. Mean percentage females recruited per study (%) Percentage studies that do not include women (%) Overall (n = 250) 18.2 50.8 (n = 127) Studies before 2011 (n = 121) 14.5 59.5 (n = 72) Studies after 2011 (n = 129) 21.8 42.6 (n = 55) Table 1: Female recruitment characteristics. The year 2011 (median study year) was chosen as this divides all included studies into two equal groups.

scholarly journals Plasma mineral (selenium, zinc or copper) concentrations in the general pregnant population, adjusted for supplement intake, in relation to thyroid function

2020 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-78
Author(s):  
Victor Pop ◽  
Johannes Krabbe ◽  
Wolfgang Maret ◽  
Margaret Rayman
Keyword(s):  
Thyroid Function ◽  
Reference Range ◽  
First Trimester ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Thyroid Peroxidase ◽  
Reference Ranges ◽  
Lower Plasma ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Supplement Intake

AbstractThe present study reports on first-trimester reference ranges of plasma mineral Se/Zn/Cu concentration in relation to free thyroxine (FT4), thyrotropin (TSH) and thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-Ab), assessed at 12 weeks’ gestation in 2041 pregnant women, including 544 women not taking supplements containing Se/Zn/Cu. The reference range (2·5th–97·5th percentiles) in these 544 women was 0·72–1·25 µmol/l for Se, 17·15–35·98 µmol/l for Cu and 9·57–16·41 µmol/l for Zn. These women had significantly lower mean plasma Se concentration (0·94 (sd 0·12) µmol/l) than those (n 1479) taking Se/Zn/Cu supplements (1·03 (sd 0·14) µmol/l; P < 0·001), while the mean Cu (26·25 µmol/l) and Zn (12·55 µmol/l) concentrations were almost identical in these sub-groups. Women with hypothyroxinaemia (FT4 below reference range with normal TSH) had significantly lower plasma Zn concentrations than euthyroid women. After adjusting for covariates including supplement intake, plasma Se (negatively), Zn and Cu (positively) concentrations were significantly related to logFT4; Se and Cu (but not Zn) were positively and significantly related to logTSH. Women taking additional Se/Zn/Cu supplements were 1·46 (95 % CI 1·09, 2·04) times less likely to have elevated titres of TPO-Ab at 12 weeks of gestation. We conclude that first-trimester Se reference ranges are influenced by Se-supplement intake, while Cu and Zn ranges are not. Plasma mineral Se/Zn/Cu concentrations are associated with thyroid FT4 and TSH concentrations. Se/Zn/Cu supplement intake affects TPO-Ab status. Future research should focus on the impact of trace mineral status during gestation on thyroid function.

scholarly journals Prenatal Diet in Relation to Sleep Health of Offspring During Adolescence: Evidence From the ELEMENT Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 833-833
Author(s):  
Astrid Zamora ◽  
Karen Peterson ◽  
Martha Maria Téllez-Rojo ◽  
Alejandra Cantoral ◽  
Peter Song ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Maternal Diet ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Female Offspring ◽  
Sleep Health ◽  
Diet Patterns ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Us Epa ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives Maternal diet during gestation has been linked to sex-specific differences in infant sleep; however, the impact on sleep into adolescence is unknown. We sought to examine the relationship between maternal diet patterns and sex-stratified offspring sleep health during adolescence among a Mexico City cohort. Methods Data from 309 mother-adolescent dyads were analyzed. Prenatal diet patterns were formed by principal component analysis derived from a food frequency questionnaire collected over the third trimester. Sleep variables were derived from 7-day actigraphy data from adolescents aged 9–17 years. Linear regression was employed to examine sex-stratified associations between tertiles of the diet patterns with adolescent sleep, adjusting for confounding factors. Results Three diet patterns included: the Prudent Diet (PD), high in lean proteins and vegetables; the Transitioning Mexican Diet (TMD) high in Mexican and “Westernized” foods; and the High Meat & Fat Diet (HMFD), high in meats and high-fat dairy products. The mean (SD) offspring age was 15.1 (1.9) years, and 52.4% of the sample was female. The mean (SD) sleep duration was 8.4 (1.4) h/night. Adjusted analyses showed an association between PD adherence and earlier sleep midpoint among female offspring, the offspring of mothers in the highest tertile of PD had a 0.70 h (95% CI: −1.2, −0.20; p = 0.01) earlier sleep midpoint (p, trend = 0.01). Additional associations were detected between TMD prenatal adherence with shorter sleep duration and earlier sleep midpoint among both sexes. For example, female and male offspring of mothers in the highest tertile of TMD had 0.80 h (95% CI: −85.0, −10.6; p = 0.01) (p, trend = 0.0043) and 0.54 h (95% CI: −66.1, 1.3) (p, trend = 0.03) shorter sleep duration, respectively. HMFD prenatal adherence was associated with less fragmented sleep in a non-linear manner among females and was non-linearly associated with an earlier sleep midpoint among males. Conclusions Sex-stratified analyses demonstrated that findings were more robust between multiple diet patterns and shorter sleep, earlier sleep timing, and less fragmented sleep among female offspring, thus indicating that maternal diet during pregnancy may impact female offspring's sleep health in adolescence. Funding Sources US EPA, NIEHS, NHLBI, and the National Institute of Public Health/Ministry of Health of Mexico.

scholarly journals The Impact of Grit on Health Outcomes in College Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 455-455
Author(s):  
Amelia Sullivan ◽  
Leigh Neptune ◽  
Kayla Parsons ◽  
Ashley Reynolds ◽  
Carol Byrd-Bredbenner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Experiment Station ◽  
College Undergraduate ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives The objective was to examine the relationship between grit and health outcomes in college undergraduate students. Methods A cross-sectional convenience sample of college undergraduate students completed an online survey assessing Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL), the National Cancer Institute Fruit and Vegetable Screener, and the 2-item Hager Food Insecurity Screener. Grit was assessed by generating a mean score using the 8-item short grit scale. Independent t-tests were used to compare health outcomes between students who reported above/below the average grit score of the sample. Chi-square tests were used to examine group differences between grit level and prevalence of food insecurity. Results Participants (N = 655) were 19.8 ± 1.5 years old, mostly female (63%), and white (84%). The average grit score was 3.27 ± 0.54 out of 5. Results indicated that students who were grittier than average (n = 372) reported fewer days/months (d/m) with poor mental health (8.1 ± 8.5 vs. 11.6 ± 9.6, P &lt; 0.001), fewer d/m feeling sad/depressed (6.2 ± 7.7 vs. 9.9 ± 9.3, P &lt; 0.001), more d/m with restful sleep (12.9 ± 9.8 vs. 10.3 ± 8.6, P &lt; 0.001), more d/m feeling very healthy and full of energy (12.6 ± 8.8 vs. 8.4 ± 7.5, P &lt; 0.001), and ate more servings of fruits and vegetables per day (2.4 ± 1.3 vs. 2.1 ± 1.32, P &lt; 0.01). Grittier participants were also less likely to report being food insecure (16.0%) vs. less grittier participants (23.3%), P &lt; 0.05. Conclusions This data indicates that students who were grittier than average reported better HRQOL, consumed a more healthful diet, and were more likely to be food secure. This provides justification for future research to explore grit as a mediating factor that may contribute to better health outcomes, especially in populations particularly susceptible to experiencing poor HRQOL and food insecurity. Funding Sources This project was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch project number #ME0022104 through the Maine Agricultural & Forest Experiment Station. NJ Agriculture Experiment Station.

scholarly journals Substance Use Among Patients Receiving Out- and Inpatient Dependence Care: a Prospective Norwegian Cohort Study From 2016 to 2020

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jørn Henrik Vold ◽  
Fatemeh Chalabianloo ◽  
Christer F. Aas ◽  
Else-Marie Løberg ◽  
Kjell Arne Johansson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Linear Mixed Model ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Opioid Agonist ◽  
Low Threshold ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

Abstract BackgroundContinuous use of amphetamines, alcohol, benzodiazepines, cannabis, cocaine, or opioids contributes to health impairments, increased morbidity, and overdose deaths among patients with substance use disorders (SUDs). This study evaluates the impact of inpatient detoxification, specialized opioid agonist therapy (OAT), and low-threshold municipality care on substance use over time. MethodsWe used data from a cohort of SUD patients in Norway through health assessments of self-reported substance use and sociodemographic and clinical factors. A total of 881 substance use measurements, including type and amount of substances, were assessed from 708 SUD patients in 2016-2020. Substance use for individual and total substances was calculated, creating a substance use severity index (SUSI) ranging from zero (no use) to one (daily use). We defined baseline as the first substance use measurement when the measurements were listed chronologically. Time was defined as years from baseline. We used a linear mixed model to analyze associations between the SUSI and inpatient detoxification, specialized OAT compared with low-threshold municipality care, as well as the factors like injecting substance use, gender, and age, presented with coefficients and 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsNeither inpatient detoxification (mean SUSI change: 0.01, -0.03;0.04) nor specialized OAT (0.03, -0.09;0.14) compared with low-threshold municipality care were associated with changes in substance use over time. Patients who were over 60 years of age (mean SUSI difference: -0.06, -0.13;0.00) had a lower SUSI than those under 30 years of age, while patients who injected substances had a higher SUSI than those who did not inject substances (0.18, 0.15;0.20) at baseline. The mean SUSI for the individual substances were 0.50 (standard deviation (SD): 0.38) for cannabis, 0.40 (0.37) for benzodiazepines, 0.33 (0.34) for amphetamines and cocaine, 0.31 (0.29) for alcohol, and 0.22 (0.31) for opioids at baseline. The mean SUSI of all substances was 0.35 (0.20). Conclusion The present study demonstrates that neither inpatient detoxification nor specialized OAT compared to low-threshold municipality care were associated with changes in substance use over time. Future research needs to evaluate the impact on substance use and healthy survival of multiple health care interventions to this patient group.

Is the tobacco ‘footfall’ argument justified for tobacco purchases in New Zealand convenience stores?

2020 ◽  
pp. tobaccocontrol-2020-056032
Author(s):  
Louise Marsh ◽  
Claire Cameron ◽  
Robin Quigg ◽  
Sarah Wood ◽  
Mei-Ling Blank ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Random Sample ◽  
Retail Trade ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Trade Associations ◽  
Tobacco Sales ◽  
Convenience Stores ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionNew Zealand’s Smokefree 2025 goal aims to greatly decrease the availability of tobacco. One option is to cease the sale of tobacco from convenience stores. However, tobacco companies and retail trade associations oppose this move and have argued that customers who purchase tobacco drive footfall and spend more than non-tobacco customers. The aim of this study is to test the validity of industry claims about the importance of tobacco to convenience stores.MethodsDuring November and December 2019, immediate postpurchase surveys were undertaken with customers on exit from a random sample of 100 convenience stores in two New Zealand cities. We estimated the mean number of items purchased, including tobacco and non-tobacco items, and mean expenditure on non-tobacco items.ResultsOf the 3399 transactions recorded, 13.8% included tobacco, of which 8.3% comprised tobacco only and 5.5% included tobacco and non-tobacco items. The mean number of transactions containing both tobacco and non-tobacco items was 1.98, and 1.87 for those containing non-tobacco items only. Customers who purchased tobacco and non-tobacco items spent on average NZ$6.99 on non-tobacco items, whereas customers who purchased non-tobacco items only, spent on average NZ$5.07.ConclusionsOur results do not support claims that tobacco drives one-quarter of footfall into stores or that customers who purchase tobacco spend almost twice as much as non-tobacco customers. Combined purchases of tobacco and non-tobacco items constituted 5.5% of transactions; the impact on a store’s profitability of removing tobacco sales is unknown and could be the focus of future research.

scholarly journals Amounts and Botanical Diversity of Dietary Fruits and Vegetables Affect Distinctly the Human Gut Microbiome

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1545-1545
Author(s):  
Ayoub Al Othaim ◽  
Noah Voreades ◽  
Natalie Goodwin ◽  
Jenae Curley ◽  
Daya Marasini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Illumina Miseq ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Dietary Interventions ◽  
Human Gut ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Rrna Sequencing ◽  
Stool Samples ◽  
Botanical Diversity ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives While increasing fruit and vegetable (FV) intake is a near-universal recommendation for improved health outcomes, information on dietary FV amount and diversity impact on health biomarkers is scarce. FV are a major dietary source of gut microbiota (GM) accessible carbohydrates and phytochemicals, however, most studies have focused on single food items or their extracted components, with few holistic studies available. Here, two separate randomized dietary interventions were used to assess the impact of low vs high FV intake and low vs high botanical diversity on GM profiles in healthy adults. We hypothesized that increasing FV would result in beneficial modulations to GM with further increases benefits in those consuming FV from diverse botanical families. Methods Study 1 was a crossover design with, 11 males randomized to starting diets of low FV (L) or high FV (H) over 9 days. Stool samples were obtained at day 0, 3, 6 and 9 of each treatment period. In Study 2, 21 individuals were provided a low FV (L) lead-in diet for 4 days and then randomly assigned to a high FV diet with either low (LB; 11 families) or high botanical diversity (HB; 24 families) for an additional 4 days. Stool was collected at baseline, and after each diet intervention. GM was analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing performed on an Illumina MiSeq. The Mothur pipeline was used for preliminary data analysis, followed by statistical analyses in PAST. Results In Study 1, the L treatment resulted in minimal microbiota alterations, while a significant increase in Bacteroidetes and decrease in Firmicutes (which peaked at day 6) was observed in the H group. Intriguingly, the L group experienced a short-term increase in Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, and both treatments incurred significant increases in Bacteroides and Akkermansia and a decline of Faecalibacterium. In study 2 the transition from low to high FV resulted in similar trends than in Study 1. However, the HB treatment resulted in a more diverse GM, characterized by increased relative abundances of beneficial Firmicutes (Lachnospiraceae, Faecalibacterium and Clostridium XIVa). Conclusions Our results suggest that both amounts of FV consumed and botanical diversity modulate the GM. Determining better FV combinations from a GM perspective thus appears as a possible task for future research. Funding Sources Colorado Agriculture Experiment Station.

scholarly journals Exposure to outdoor air pollution and its human-related health outcomes: an evidence gap map

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. e031312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhuanlan Sun ◽  
Demi Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Outdoor Air ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Outdoor Air Pollution ◽  
Air Pollution Exposure ◽  
Pollution Exposure ◽  
The Impact

ObjectivesOutdoor air pollution is a serious environmental problem worldwide. Current systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) mostly focused on some specific health outcomes or some specific air pollution.DesignThis evidence gap map (EGM) is to identify existing gaps from SRs and MAs and report them in broad topic areas.Data sourcesPubMed, Cochrane, Scopus and Web of Science were searched from their inception until June 2018. Citations and reference lists were traced.Eligibility criteriaSRs and MAs that investigated the impact of outdoor air pollution on human health outcomes were collected. This study excluded original articles and qualitative review articles.Data extraction and synthesisCharacteristics of the included SRs and MAs were extracted and summarised. Extracted data included authors, publication year, location of the corresponding author(s), publication journal discipline, study design, study duration, sample size, study region, target population, types of air pollution and health outcomes.ResultsAsia and North America published 93% of SRs and MAs included in this EGM. 31% of the SRs and MAs (27/86) included primary studies conducted in 5–10 countries. Their publication trends have increased during the last 10 years. A total of 2864 primary studies was included. The median number of included primary studies was 20 (range, 7–167). Cohort studies, case cross-over studies and time-series studies were the top three most used study designs. The mostly researched population was the group of all ages (46/86, 53%). Cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases and health service records were mostly reported. A lack of definite diagnostic criteria, unclear reporting of air pollution exposure and time period of primary studies were the main research gaps.ConclusionsThis EGM provided a visual overview of health outcomes affected by outdoor air pollution exposure. Future research should focus on chronic diseases, cancer and mental disorders.

scholarly journals Validation of energy requirement equations for estimation of breast milk consumption in infants

2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 2309-2316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie Schoen ◽  
Wolfgang Sichert-Hellert ◽  
Mathilde Kersting
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Breast Milk ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Energy Requirement ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Energy Requirements ◽  
Milk Consumption ◽  
Term Infants ◽  
Dietary Records ◽  
Breast Fed

AbstractObjectiveTo test equations for calculating infants’ energy requirements as a simple and reliable instrument for estimating the amount of breast milk consumed in epidemiological studies where test-weighing is not possible.DesignInfants’ energy requirements were calculated using three different equations based on reference data and compared with actual energy intakes assessed using the 3 d weighed dietary records of breast-fed infants from the DOrtmund Nutritional and Anthropometric Longitudinally Designed (DONALD) Study.SettingA sub-sample of 323 infants from the German DONALD Study who were predominantly breast-fed for at least the first four months of life, and who had 3 d weighed dietary records and repeated body weight measurements within the first year of life.SubjectsHealthy, term infants breast-fed for at least 4 months, 0–12 months of age.ResultsThe overall differences between measured energy intake and calculated energy requirements were quite small, never more than 10 % of total energy intake, and smaller than the mean variance of energy intake between the three days of recording. The equation of best fit incorporated body weight and recent growth, while the worst fit was found for the equation not considering body weight.ConclusionsBreast milk consumption in fully and partially breast-fed infants can be reasonably quantified by calculating the infants’ individual energy requirements via simple equations. This provides a feasible approach for estimating infant energy intake in epidemiological studies where test-weighing of breast milk is not possible.

scholarly journals Are diet and feeding behaviours associated with the onset of and recovery from slow weight gain in early infancy?

2014 ◽  
Vol 111 (9) ◽  
pp. 1696-1704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda I. Hollén ◽  
Zia ud Din ◽  
Louise R. Jones ◽  
Alan M. Emond ◽  
Pauline Emmett
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Recovery Phase ◽  
Feeding Problems ◽  
Term Infants ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
Catch Up ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Avon Longitudinal Study ◽  
Feeding Behaviours

Infants with slow weight gain cause concern in parents and professionals, but it is difficult to be certain whether such infants are genetically small or whether their energy intake is insufficient. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of diet and feeding behaviours on slow weight gain early in infancy. The sample was 11 499 term infants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). A total of 507 cases of slow weight gain from birth to 8 weeks were identified and the remaining 10 992 infants were used as controls. It was found that infants who gained weight slowly between birth and 8 weeks were more likely to exhibit feeding problems such as weak sucking and slow feeding during this period. Feeding problems were substantially reduced during the recovery phase (8 weeks to 2 years) when these infants exhibited enhanced catch-up in weight. The proportion of mothers breast-feeding in the 4th week after birth was higher for slow weight gainers, but they were more likely to switch to formula at the start of recovery. During recovery, slow-weight gain infants had a slightly higher energy intake from formula and solids than controls. In conclusion, feeding problems seem to be the most important factors associated with the onset of early slow weight gain. Subsequently, a reduction of feeding problems and an increase in overall energy intake may contribute to their weight recovery. Health professionals should look for feeding problems in the first few weeks after birth and help mothers establish adequate feeding practices.

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