title: Body composition changes in the first 6 months of life according to method of feeding.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Early feeding choices may affect long-term health outcomes. Therefore, understanding body composition changes in healthy breastfed infants has become an important research focus.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this review were to investigate the body composition changes that occur during weight loss in breastfed term newborns and to examine body composition differences between exclusively/predominantly breastfed and exclusively formula-fed infants in the first 6 months of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a review of the existing literature using PubMed. We searched for studies published in English since January 1, 2000, that involved human infants ranging in age from birth to 6 months. We used the following MEDLINE Medical Subject Headings: ((breastfeeding) OR (infant formula)) AND ((body composition) OR (bioelectrical impedance) OR (absorptiometry, photon) OR (total body potassium) OR (isotope dilution) OR (air-displacement plethysmography)). Our search yielded 6 studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two studies reported that newborn weight loss was due to a reduction in the quantity of both fat mass and fat-free mass. Three out of 4 articles that evaluated body composition changes according to method of feeding reported no differences in body composition between exclusively/predominantly breastfed and exclusively formula-fed infants in the first 4.5 months of life. One study reported that exclusively breastfed infants at 3 months of age and exclusively breastfed boys at 6 months of age had higher fat mass contents compared to exclusively formula-fed infants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because of the limited number of studies available, larger studies are needed to clarify the differences in body composition between exclusively/predominantly breastfed and exclusively formula-fed infants.
authors.affiliation: 1Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, Fondazione IRCCS "Ca' Granda" Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Lorella
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Giannì
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roggero
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orsi
authors.forename: Pasqua
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piemontese
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Garbarino
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bracco
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garavaglia
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agosti
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mosca
mesh_terms: D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D001903:Bottle Feeding; D001942:Breast Feeding; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000378:metabolism*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*
keywords: body composition; breast milk; breastfeeding; full-term infants; growth