Growth, Caloric Intake, and Activity Levels in Early Infancy: A Preliminary Report

There is increasing evidence that early infant overfeeding may result in hypercellularity of the adipose organ, with lifelong sequellae. This is particularly true among infants at increased risk of later obesity for both genetic and environmental reasons. In the present pilot study, 5 infants selected as being at high risk of obesity on the basis of lower social class status and maternal obesity were followed from birth through the eighth week of life. Total caloric intake, growth in height and weight, and activity levels were measured. Strong, inverse correlations between growth in weight and both activity level and growth in length suggest that rapid development of unique body configurations consistent with later obesity begin to emerge in the earliest weeks of life. If these findings are replicated, effective inter­vention strategies at this age may make a significant contribution to obesity control within this population of infants