Researchers at Pennsylvania State University studied approximately 150 mothers and their infants at two and six months of age, using questionnaires that addressed feeding, sleep, playtime, and the children's appetites. The mothers had an average age of 26, 70% were white, and the majority of the families had an annual income of less than $25,000.
The study focused on family habits that may affect a child's growth and body mass index (BMI).
The results showed that nine eating, sleeping, and playing behaviors observed by families from the age of two months were associated with an increased body mass index (BMI) in children at six months. These behaviors included:
Using feeding bottles that are too large for the infant's growth stage.
Excessive nighttime breastfeeding.
Mothers feel that their children are hungrier than they actually are.
Put the baby to bed after 8 pm.
He wakes up more than twice during the night.
Put the baby to bed when he is fully asleep, rather than when he is drowsy/almost asleep.
Sleeping in a room with a television on.
Children with a high body mass index were more likely to have parents who used their phones or watched television while playing.
Active tummy time was limited, which is the time the infant spends on their stomach to strengthen the upper body muscles.
Yingying Ma, lead author and doctoral student at the Child Health Research Center, explained that "once a child reaches two months of age, we can see patterns in feeding, sleeping, and play that may determine the course of their development, highlighting the importance of early screening to support families in building healthy habits and preventing excessive weight gain."
The study indicated that weight gain in the first six months of an infant's life paves the way for a slower metabolism, which increases appetite and makes weight loss more difficult later on. Furthermore, persistent obesity is a risk factor for developing diabetes and heart disease.
The study explained that early childhood determines the body's ability to convert food into energy, and that slow metabolism leads to fat storage, increasing the risk of obesity as the child grows.
The study was published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
