Validation of energy requirement equations for estimation of breast milk consumption in infants.
OBJECTIVE
To test equations for calculating infants' energy requirements as a simple and reliable instrument for estimating the amount of breast milk consumed in epidemiological studies where test-weighing is not possible.


METHODS
Infants' energy requirements were calculated using three different equations based on reference data and compared with actual energy intakes assessed using the 3 d weighed dietary records of breast-fed infants from the DOrtmund Nutritional and Anthropometric Longitudinally Designed (DONALD) Study.


METHODS
A sub-sample of 323 infants from the German DONALD Study who were predominantly breast-fed for at least the first four months of life, and who had 3 d weighed dietary records and repeated body weight measurements within the first year of life.


METHODS
Healthy, term infants breast-fed for at least 4 months, 0-12 months of age.


RESULTS
The overall differences between measured energy intake and calculated energy requirements were quite small, never more than 10 % of total energy intake, and smaller than the mean variance of energy intake between the three days of recording. The equation of best fit incorporated body weight and recent growth, while the worst fit was found for the equation not considering body weight.


CONCLUSIONS
Breast milk consumption in fully and partially breast-fed infants can be reasonably quantified by calculating the infants' individual energy requirements via simple equations. This provides a feasible approach for estimating infant energy intake in epidemiological studies where test-weighing of breast milk is not possible.
Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University Bonn, Heinstueck 11, D-44225 Dortmund, Germany. schoen@fke-do.de
Stefanie
S
Schoen
Wolfgang
W
Sichert-Hellert
Mathilde
M
Kersting
D001942:Breast Feeding; D003906:Developing Countries; D015930:Diet Records; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics / Q000592:standards*; D008895:Milk, Human; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009751:Nutritional Requirements