title: Formula-fed infants have significantly higher fat-free mass content in their bodies than breastfed babies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Early nutrition may affect body composition development. This study assessed body composition changes in healthy term infants in the first four months of life, comparing the results for breastfed and formula-fed babies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A longitudinal, observational study was conducted with healthy term infants, who had a birth weight of more than 2500 g and were aged up to 3 weeks at enrolment. Infants were either exclusively breastfed or formula-fed. Growth and body composition were assessed by air-displacement plethysmography at enrolment and 4 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 158 infants were enrolled (72 exclusively breastfed and 86 exclusively formula-fed). Body composition was similar between the two feeding groups at enrolment, but fat-free mass (4831 ± 538 g vs 4641 ± 461 g; p = 0.036) at 4 months and the fat-free mass changes between enrolment and 4 months (80.3 ± 16.4% vs 67.6 ± 18.4%; p < 0.001) were higher in formula-fed infants than breastfed ones.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that formula-fed infants show different body composition development during the first 4 months of life to breastfed ones, with higher fat-free mass content.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, Fondazione IRCCS 'Ca Granda' Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Giannì
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roggero
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morlacchi
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garavaglia
authors.forename: Pasqua
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piemontese
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mosca
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk
keywords: Body composition; Breastfeeding; Formula feeding; Term infants