A study that focused on breast fed infants and formula fed infants concluded that children who are breast fed are leaner than formula fed infants. Mothers who feed their children formula at a very early age, beginning from newborn, will tend to have a heavier child. The children's skinfolds and body fat were measured and the result clearly showed that the breast fed children where in much better health. Breast fed children also showed to be less sickly, and much more full of energy.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Infant Feeding
In the focus study group about maternal feeding practices and childhood obesity, a group of mothers between the ages of 14 and 34 were questioned about their feeding practices with their children of ages 12 to 36 months of age. They all believed that a heavy baby meant a healthy baby. They all seemed to believe that a skinny child meant that they child was not receiving enough daily nutrition. They would feed the child numerous times a day, and also used feeding as a form of reward for good behavior or positive reinforcement. The mothers admitted going against feeding recommendations that they were given by pediatricians and WIC (Women, Infants, and Children). Most of their children were overweight, and the mothers were then educated in infant feeding.
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It is surprising that mothers that have been educated about healthy feeding practices would still choose to over feed their children. When these children were born, I wonder did they start off overfeeding them as breastfed or formula fed infants? I also wonder if these groups of parents that were studied were they themselves overeaters?
ReplyDeleteIt is true that society views a plump little butterball to be healthier and more atractive than a skinny infant. Many people believe that without the "baby fat" your child is sickly. Many cases of obesity falls on education or lack there of. So when you have a group of women who claim to have ignored the nutritional advice of their pediatricians and WIC counselors it makes you wonder what their eating habits are. Were these woman overweight themselves? Studies show that children learn eating habits from the home and if you have overeaters raising you then the child will most likely become obese.
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