title: Milk cereal drink increases BMI risk at 12 and 18 months, but formula does not.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Infant feeding affects growth, obesity and life-long health. This study examined the impact of dietary patterns on body mass index (BMI) at 12 and 18 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  We followed a cohort of 2666 children recruited in 2007-2008. Feeding practices were obtained from parental questionnaires and anthropometric data collected by child health nurses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 6 months, 58.3% of the infant were breastfed, but only 1.6% exclusively. Many had begun eating solids (91.8%), porridge (87.7%) or milk cereal drink (46.6%). Bottle-feeding at 4 months was not a risk factor for a high BMI (>1 SD) at 12 or 18 months. Milk cereal drink at six months increased the risk of a high BMI at 12 and 18 months, respectively (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.12-2.22, and 1.52, 1.07-2.17). Milk cereal drink use was increased by low parental education and maternal obesity and reduced by troubled sleep and parental group participation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Formula at 4 months did not predict a high BMI at 12 or 18 months. Milk cereal drink use at 6 months was a risk factor for a high BMI at 12 and 18 months. The choice of milk cereal drink was influenced by parental factors, especially educational levels.
authors.affiliation: Child Health Care Unit, Region Halland, Sweden; Department of Paediatrics, Institute of Clinical Sciences at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. Gerd.almquist-tangen@regionhalland.se.
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Almquist-Tangen
authors.forename: Jovanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dahlgren
authors.forename: Josefine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roswall
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bergman
authors.forename: Bernt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alm
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet; D002523:Edible Grain; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: BMI; Breastfeeding; Feeding patterns; Infant; Milk cereal drink; Overweight