Infant temperament is associated with potentially obesogenic diet at 18 months.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated whether infants' temperament at 18 months is associated with the feeding of foods and drinks that may increase the risk for later obesity.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study of mothers and infants (N = 40 266) participating in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Data were collected by questionnaire. Predictor variables were: infants' temperament at 18 months (internalizing, externalizing, and surgency/extraversion), and mothers' negative affectivity. Outcome variables were feeding of sweet foods, sweet drinks, and night-time caloric drinks at 18 months (all dichotomized). Confounders were child's gender, weight-for-height at 1 year, breastfeeding, and mother's level of education.


RESULTS
After controlling for confounders, infant temperament dimensions at 18 months were significantly associated with mothers' feeding of potentially obesogenic foods and drinks independent of mothers' negative affectivity. Infants who were more internalizing were more likely to be given sweet foods (OR 1.47, CI 1.32-1.65), sweet drinks (OR 1.76, CI 1.56-1.98), and drinks at night (OR 2.91, CI 2.54-3.33); infants who were more externalizing were more likely to be given sweet food (OR 1.53, CI 1.40-1.67) and sweet drinks (OR 1.22, CI 1.11-1.34); and infants who were more surgent were more likely to be given drinks at night (OR 1.66, CI 1.42-1.92).


CONCLUSIONS
The association between infant temperament and maternal feeding patterns suggests early mechanisms for later obesity that should be investigated in future studies.
Vollrath
Margarete E
ME
Department of Psychosomatics and Health Behavior, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway. margarete.vollrath@fhi.no
Tonstad
Serena
S
Rothbart
Mary K
MK
Hampson
Sarah E
SE
D000367:Age Factors; D001628:Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004644:Emotions; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D016015:Logistic Models; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009664:Norway; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament
D019422:Dietary Sucrose