Growth and protein-rich food intake in infancy is associated with fat-free mass index at 2-3 years of age

Abstract

Aim: The reduction of infant protein intake and associated growth velocity is a recommended public health strategy for reducing the risk of childhood obesity. This study tests the hypothesis that infants' growth and protein-rich food (dairy, meat, fish and egg) intake influences childhood body size and composition at 2-3 years of age.

Methods: Thirty-six children were studied from the Feeding Queensland Babies Study Cohort, which prospectively collected data on infant growth and diet. Body composition was estimated using the deuterium oxide dilution technique at 2-3 years of age.

Results: Fat-free mass index Z score at 2-3 years of age was positively associated with animal protein food (dairy, meat, fish and egg) intake at 12 months of age (r = 0.58, P = 0.002, false discovery rate corrected P value = 0.008) and negatively associated with weight-for-length growth velocity from 6 to 12 months of age (r = -0.75, P = 0.019, false discovery rate corrected P value = 0.038), which in turn was negatively associated with growth velocity from 0 to 6 months of age (r = -0.790, P = 0.007).

Conclusion: This study suggests that strategies to reduce protein intake and growth velocity in early life may limit fat-free mass growth, potentially predisposing to increased adiposity in later life.

Keywords: body composition; feeding methods; growth; obesity; protein.