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Obesity and the First Week of Life
How a baby eats during the first week of life may set lifelong eating patterns that could lead to obesity, according to a fascinating study from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, published in the April 19, 2005 Circulation. Here, 653 formula-fed babies were each measured on 7 different occasions while they were babies. They were contacted again when they had grown to be adults in their twenties or thirties, and a life-course weight plot was developed for each of them. About 32 percent of them had become overweight adults. Strikingly, the speed at which the babies gained weight in the first 8 days was very predictive of their risk of becoming overweight adults. For every 3 ½ ounces of increased weight gain in those first 8 days, there was a 28 percent increased chance of later becoming overweight. Weight gain during the first 112 days (3-4 months) was also connected with later weight problems, but less strikingly than the first 8 days. Perhaps during that first week, babies are setting their internal sense of how much is "normal" for them to eat, how much it takes for them to feel full. Those who eat too much during the first week may be programmed to eat too much later on, without even noticing. In contrast, before babies are born, slow weight gain of the fetus (as when the mother smokes cigarettes) tends to lead to overweight problems later. Perhaps before birth the babies are learning whether food is plentiful (they can feel safe burning it for fuel) or scarce (they should try to store all the fat they can). Now we learn that the first 8 days may be a critical time for setting babies on the right nutritional path. Thankfully, breastfeeding normally leads to correct amount and pacing of feeds during that first week. With formula-fed kids, care should be taken not to over- or under- feed, as we learn more about the implications of those early days, weeks, and months.
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Alan Greene MD FAAP
Reviewed by Alan Greene MD FAAP December 2005
April 26, 2005 | Permalink
Comments
My daughter was born "small for gestational age" at 37weeks due to pre-eclampsia. She weighed 4lbs. I breast fed for the first month, but due to lack of milk production and a severe case of reflux, she had to be switched to formula with rice cereal added. It was the consistency of watery oatmeal. I feel like her satiety center in her brain was "rewired" so that she only feels full and satisfied if completely stuffed! She is now 8 years old and weighs 73lbs. She wants to eat constantly! Even when she says she is full, she will ask for more food or will just keep eating because it is on her plate
Posted by: ashley | Apr 28, 2008 10:28:50 AM
I would just like to agree that there are babies that are over fed at a very young age resulting in child and adult obesity. Parents, or caregivers would rather give the baby or child a bottle or food to replace the attention the child really needed at that specific moment. Whether the person or persons giving the food to the child realizes this, it is too late to correct the problem. The child is not only overweight at a young age, but has also gained a bad, and unhealthy eating pattern for the rest of their life. The children will probably be overweight throughout their lifespan,because of this unhealthy eating pattern early on.I just had a baby 5 weeks ago myself. I am fighting this situation personally with the, " other family" doing this to the other grand children in their family. There are 3 that I believe that are overweight for their age. A 3 year old boy that weighs over 40 lbs. A two year old boy almost 35 lbs. A 6 mos. girl that weighs over 20 lbs.They are very short too. These children eat junk constantly and no one stops them from doing it. To be honest I think they encourage it.I'm afraid if I let my baby get too close to the,"other family" the same will happen to her. I have a nine year old son who has had 2 heart surgeries already resulting from a heart birth defect.He will have surgeries for the rest of his life. The problem is not correctable with surgery, just prolonged. Also obesity runs in my fathers family, along with cancer,(I believe) resulting from obesity.I have stressed my opinion greatly to the father about my concern. I just get brushed off and his self-defense comes to light. "My family is doing nothing wrong," even though the truth exists in them. The grandmother,age 53, who does all of the caregiving, just had a 5 bypass heart surgury immediately 24 hours after a catheterization was performed.There were 7 clogged arteries in the heart. The father to my baby, her son, is thin ,but also has an immensely high blood pressure. He takes the highest dosage of Lipitor prescribed.(80mg) He is only 30 years old. A very serious diet change was prescribed and given,but not enforced. Eating habits haven 't changed even after a major heart surgery. I thank anyone who has read my story and appreciate any comment available to help my situation.
Posted by: sarah monley | Jan 27, 2008 2:30:15 AM
How amazing! I wonder what other 'personality traits' are learned before a baby is born?
Posted by: Moxie | May 5, 2005 6:19:41 AM
This article doesn't give any information on the babies that are breastfed... did none of them become overweight?
Also, my son lost weight in his first week of life... does that mean he'll be very thin?
Posted by: Moira Kelly | Apr 27, 2005 4:53:44 PM
