title: The relationship between components of infant energy expenditure and childhood body fatness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether any component of infant energy expenditure is related to fatness in early childhood, and whether infant fatness is related to childhood variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal investigation of infants studied at 12 weeks and followed up at 2.5 to 3.5 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  30 healthy full-term infants selected from the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sleeping metabolic rate, total energy expenditure, anthropometry and behaviour at 12 weeks; anthropometry, body composition and behaviour in follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Energy expenditure at 12 weeks (minimal metabolism, total energy expenditure, energy expended on physical activity, behaviour) showed no relationship with later fatness. Infant fatness (skinfold thicknesses and percentage fat) showed in contrast a strong relationship with childhood fatness. Infant fatness also predicted childhood behaviour.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data do not support the theory that reduced energy expenditure in early infancy is related to later fatness. However, infant fatness influences both later fatness and activity patterns.
authors.affiliation: Infant and Child Nutrition Group, Dunn Nutrition Unit, Cambridge, Australia.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stanley
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Laidlaw
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000886:Anthropometry; D001519:Behavior; D001823:Body Composition; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D012890:Sleep