Use of Growth Models to Describe Patterns of Length, Weight, and Head Circumference among Breast-Fed and Formula-Fed Infants: The DARLING Study

Nine mathematical models were applied to 24-month length, weight, and head circumference growth curves of 39 breastfed and 31 formula-fed infants from the DARLING study. For both breast-fed and formula-fed infants, the Karlberg infancy-childhood-puberty (ICP) model best describes the relationship between recumbent length and age and the Jenss model best describes the relationship between head circumference and age. For formula-fed infants several models appropriately describe the relationship between weight and age, and we recommend the Jenss model. However, none of the models suitably describes the shape o f the w eight curve for breast-fed infants