Rapid weight gain in infants linked to childhood obesity
New York - A Harvard study has found that infants that gain weight quickly during the first six months of life, are prone to obesity as toddlers. The study, which is schedule to be published in the April issue of Pediatrics, may be the key that medical professionals have been looking for. By being able to observe how quickly weight is gained, it is hoped that preventative measures can be taken early on that will prevent obesity in children.
During the study, titled Project Viva, Harvard researchers tracked 599 children. The children were weighed and measured as infants, and the findings were documented. The process was then repeated at the age of six months, and again at three years of age. Researches discovered that when a child’s body mass index (BMI) increased during the first six months of life, they were more likely to become obese by three years of age.
Researchers are hopeful that this information will provide the stepping stone to curing childhood obesity. “Our study raises a lot of questions about the reason rapid infant weight gain results in obesity later on,” said study author, Dr. Elsie M. Taveras. “We need more research to identify the factors that explain this relationship.”