Neonatal and infant feeding: effect on bone density at 4 years.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine whether the type of feeding during the first 4 months of life affects bone mineral density at 4 years of age.


METHODS
Healthy 4-year-old children were recruited from the offices of primary health care providers. After confirming the type of infant feeding by history, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry analysis was obtained at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and evaluated by a radiologist blinded as to feeding type.


RESULTS
One hundred and seventy-eight children completed the study (58% male, 85% Caucasian; mean age, 4.5 years). All children had exclusively consumed human milk (n = 57), an infant formula containing no palm olein oil (n = 56) or an infant formula containing palm olein oil (n = 65) during the first 4 months of life. At 4 years of age, no significant differences were noted in bone mineral content or bone mineral density (P = 0.51 and 0.89, respectively) among the three feeding groups as measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Total body bone mineral content and bone mineral density varied by gender, with males having significantly higher values than females regardless of feeding type (P = 0.028 and P < 0.001, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
There is no association between the use of palm olein formula during the first 4 months of life and subsequent bone mineral content and bone mineral density in healthy 4-year-old children.
Young
Rosemary J
RJ
University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5160, USA. rjyoung@unmc.edu
Antonson
Dean L
DL
Ferguson
Paul W
PW
Murray
Nancy D
ND
Merkel
Kim
K
Moore
Timothy E
TE
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D001823:Body Composition; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001846:Bone Development / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000737:chemistry; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D008903:Minerals / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D009753:Nutritive Value; D000073878:Palm Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
D008903:Minerals; D010938:Plant Oils; D000073878:Palm Oil