title: Growth trend during the first six months of life in male infants with different type of feeding.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to assess the differences in the growth trend of male infants fed with human milk (HM), formula feeding (FF) and both (HM+FF), focusing the attention on weight increase in the first six months of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 146 healthy male infants born from a spontaneous delivery; exclusion criteria were all conditions that required parenteral nutrition; the follow-up visits were at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 months of life. All infants were subsequently divided into three groups depending on the three feeding type (HM, FF, HM+FF) and then in other three subgroups depending on birth weight and gestational age (A, B, C).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The three feeding type groups appeared homogeneous for gestational age and birth weight at every time of follow-up. The weight differences between subgroup A, B, C were not statistically significant, showing a regular growth trends.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible to assess the nutritional balance and the adequacy in composition of formula. This suggests that, in our population, the possible factors that could influence the rapid weight gain, characterized by a peak in the growth trend profile, do not concern the nutrition during the first six months of life but at most the weaning.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. ilviacoppi84@gmail.com
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Coppi
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Iacoponi
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Fommei
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Strambi
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005248:Feeding Methods; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008297:Male; D015430:Weight Gain