Baby gaining weight may be obese at 3 years
Rapid weight gain during the first six months after birth can lead to obesity infant, and that as soon as baby reaches his three years. This is the finding of a recent study by American researchers at Harvard University and Boston Children's Hospital. This study will be published in the April edition of the journal Pediatrics.
This survey was conducted among 559 pregnant women and their children. What has attracted the attention of scientists is the evolution of the weight of young children until their three years. What they looked at was the weight gain and especially the speed of it among toddlers.
One case particularly struck the researchers: two babies weighing the same weight at birth weighed 7.7 kg and 8.4 kg six months later, which is a difference of 700 grams. The finding of the study is that the heaviest of these two children would have 40% risk in addition toobesity at the age of three.
On the other hand, researchers have not yet demonstrated that the food given to babies by parents is the cause of such a change in weight. They also failed to demonstrate social or behavioral reasons for this weight gain.
"Now we need to find ways to change weight gain in childhood to change the behavior and needs of the body and brain," says Matthew Gillman, the director of this study.
