UNCG Study Finds Link Between Infant Feeding Practices and Rapid Weight Gain

A recent study from UNC Greensboro (UNCG) is shedding light on how certain infant feeding habits can contribute to rapid weight gain in babies, which can lead to a higher risk of obesity later in life. The study followed 299 women and their infants from pregnancy through toddlerhood and looked at various psychological, biological, and social factors. Researchers found a strong link between certain feeding practices—referred to as obesogenic practices—and rapid infant weight gain.

So, what are these obesogenic practices? According to the study, examples include things like feeding your baby while watching television, formula feeding, and adding extra food to a baby’s bottle. These practices may seem harmless, but they can have significant implications for a child's future health, particularly when used during the first six months of life.

The lead author of the study, Dr. Esther Leerkes, a professor at UNCG, emphasizes that parents who experience higher stress levels during pregnancy are more likely to engage in these unhealthy feeding practices. She and her coauthors, including experts from nutrition, kinesiology, and human development, point out that rapid weight gain before age two puts children at a much higher risk for obesity, an issue that continues to affect millions of children worldwide.

This study is part of UNCG's larger NIH-funded Infant Growth and Development (iGrow) project, which is a $2.8 million initiative aimed at understanding childhood obesity risks. The researchers focused on identifying key factors that lead to rapid weight gain in infants, specifically looking at how feeding habits and parental stress play a role.

One of the unique aspects of this study is the diverse group of participants. Nearly 30% of the women identified as Black, 6.7% as multiracial, and 7.7% as Hispanic or Latino, giving researchers a broad look at how different backgrounds may influence feeding behaviors and obesity risks.

Interestingly, the study found that while certain feeding practices were strongly linked to rapid weight gain, an infant's temperament or stress level didn’t seem to have the same impact when these feeding practices were taken into account. Dr. Leerkes noted that even the factors that didn’t show a strong correlation, such as infant stress, were still worth exploring.

While the study underscores the importance of reducing obesogenic feeding practices, Dr. Leerkes and her team also recognize the challenges parents face. Parenting is hard work, and many new parents are juggling family, work, and personal stress, all while trying to navigate an overwhelming amount of advice and information.

Breastfeeding is recommended to lower obesity risk, but it’s not always an option for every parent. Whether due to time constraints, health issues, or other barriers, some parents may need to rely on formula. Dr. Lenka Shriver, one of the study's coauthors, reassures parents that even if breastfeeding isn’t possible, there are still ways to prevent excessive weight gain. Paying close attention to your baby’s cues, avoiding adding food to bottles, and turning off distractions like the TV during feeding time can all make a big difference.

This publication marks the first set of findings from the iGrow study, and with additional funding, the researchers are expanding the study to track the participants until they reach five years of age. This will give them even more insight into how early feeding habits impact childhood obesity over time.

Source: University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Journal reference: Leerkes, E. M., et al. (2024). Biopsychosocial predictors of rapid weight gain from birth to 6 months. Pediatric Obesity. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.13170