Early Infant Feeding Influences and Weight of Children

Abstract

Childhood obesity has become a major health concern in nearly every country in the world. In the United States, the number of overweight children aged 2 to 5 years has more than doubled in the past 30 years. Overweight and obesity, already epidemic among the world’s adults and children in both developed and developing countries, is escalating. While 61% of U.S. adults and almost 12% of U.S. children were overweight in 2001, a decade later, over two thirds of U.S. adults and almost one-third of U.S. children and adolescents were overweight or obese (Satcher, 2011). A 2010 estimate by the World Health Organization (WHO, n.d.[a]) indicated 42 million overweight children under five years of age worldwide, with 35 million living in developing countries. However, 2010 estimates provided by the International Association for the Study of Obesity International Obesity Taskforce (IASO/IOTF, n.d.) indicated one billion overweight (and another nearly half billion obese) adults internationally, with even higher estimates if adjusted for Asian-specific obesity measures. Moreover, the IASO International Obesity Taskforce’s 2010 estimated 200 million obese or overweight school-aged children (IASO/IOTF, n.d.[b]). Global trends toward childhood overweight or obesity have been attributed to two major factors: 1) increasing intake of energy-dense foods, high in sugars and fats and nutrient-poor (low in beneficial nutrients, such as minerals, vitamins, and healthy micronutrients); and 2) increasingly sedentary lifestyles, with low physical activity (Corvalan et al., 2009; Satcher, 2011; WHO, n.d.[b],). However, though primarily associated with unhealthy nutrition and limited physical activity, WHO (n.d.[b]) suggests that increased childhood obesity rates are related to child behaviors and numerous economic or social changes, as well as environmental, educational, urban planning, agricultural, transportation, and food policies. Polhamus et al. (2009) reported that data from 1998−2008 Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System indicate prevalence of overweight/obese preschool children as 14.7%, and this prevalence is higher among Hispanic preschoolers (18.5%). Infant and toddler stages are a time of transition from dependent feeding to independent feeding. During early life, weight trajectories and food preferences predict trends and preferences throughout life (Allen & Myers, 2008). Early childhood is a crucial stage for monitoring growth and BMI and the most opportune time to prevent obesity in children by promoting healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors (Hawkins & Law, 2006a; He, 2008; Story et al., 2002). Many