Early Introduction of Complementary Foods is Associated with Higher BMI‐for‐Age but Not % Body Fat at 3 Years in Breast Fed Infants

Abstract

Nutrition during the first months of life can affect the long term development of obesity. Previous studies were limited by retrospective analysis of infant feeding. We aimed to establish whether timing of complementary foods was associated with BMI and body composition at 3 years of age using a longitudinal design. Healthy breastfeeding infants were recruited from the vitamin D dose response study (NCT00381914) in Montreal, Quebec. Age of first solid food introduction and infant's diet were recorded during the first year. Children were evaluated at 3 years of age for weight and height to calculate BMI‐for‐age Z‐scores using CDC growth charts. Body composition was assessed using dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry. Timing of introduction of solids was significantly associated with BMI‐for‐age Z‐score but not % body fat or lean mass at 3 years of age (Table 1). In a multivariate regression model, introduction of solids 蠄4 months, predicted a +0.96 (95% CI: 0.28, 1.64) increase in BMI‐for‐age Z‐score compared to starting solids between 4 ‐ 6 months. This sample represents some selection bias; however, suggests timing of complementary foods may impact growth by 3 y of age.Table 1 Mean ± SD (n) BMI‐for‐age Z‐score and body composition at 3 years by timing of solid food introduction (n=65) At 3 years Timing of Introduction of Solids P‐value ≤ 4 months (n=8) 4 ‐ 6 months (n=46) ≥ 6 months (n=11) BMI for age Z‐score, CDC growth charts 1.37 ± 0.85 0.48 ± 0.71 0.14 ± 0.89 0.003 n (%) Overweight, ≥ 85th and <95th percentile 4 (50%) 10 (22%) 3 (27%) 0.048 n (%) Obese, ≥ 95th percentile 1 (12.5%) 0 0 % Body Fat 30.5 ± 4.1 29.8 ± 4.2 27.0 ± 5.7 0.138 % Lean Mass 65.6 ± 4.0 66.2 ± 4.2 68.8 ± 5.5 0.176 Grant Funding Source: Canadian Institutes of Health Research