Objective: To study the growth of macrosomic infants, the incidence of overweight and the factors related to overweight at 18 months old.
Methods: Eighty-four macrosomic infants without underlying diseases were enrolled in this study. Their growth was followed up regularly. Factors related to overweight at 18 months old were investigated.
Results: Twenty infants (24%) showed as overweight at 18 months old. More male infants were overweight than female infants (30% vs 11%; P<0.05). The overweight infants at 18 months old had a higher proportion of overweight at 6 months (80% vs 22%; P<0.01) and at 12 months old (80% vs 13%; P<0.01) than non-overweight infants at 18 months. The spearman correlation analysis demonstrated that weight-for-length Z score at 18 months old was positively correlated with birth weight and weight gain between 0 to 6 months, 7 to 12 months and 13 to 18 months (P<0.05). The strongest correlation was observed between weight gain form 0 to 6 months and weight-for-length Z score at 18 months old (r=0.597, P<0.01).
Conclusions: More attention should be given to the aspect of rapid weight gain in the first 6 months of life in macrosomic infants, especially males, to prevent obesity in early childhood.