title: Age at Introduction to Solid Foods and Child Obesity at 6 Years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidemiological evidence suggests that timing of introduction of solid foods may be associated with subsequent obesity, and the association may vary by whether an infant is breastfed or formula-fed.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 1181 infants who participated in the Infant Feeding Practices Study II (IFPS II) and the Year 6 Follow Up (Y6FU) study. Data from IFPS II were used to calculate the primary exposure and timing of solid food introduction (<4, 4-<6, and ≥6 months), and data from Y6FU were used to calculate the primary outcome and obesity at 6 years of age (BMI ≥95th percentile). We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the association between timing of the introduction of solids and obesity at 6 years and test whether this association was modified by breastfeeding duration (breastfed for 4 months vs. not).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of obesity in our sample was 12.0%. The odds of obesity was higher among infants introduced to solids <4 months compared to those introduced at 4-<6 months (odds ratio [OR] = 1.66; 95% CI, 1.15, 2.40) in unadjusted analysis; however, this relationship was no longer significant after adjustment for covariates (OR = 1.18; 95% CI, 0.79, 1.77). Introduction of solids ≥6 months was not associated with obesity. We found no interaction between breastfeeding duration and early solid food introduction and subsequent obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Timing of introduction of solid foods was not associated with child obesity at 6 years in this sample. Given the inconsistency in findings with other studies, further studies in larger populations may be needed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Chloe M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Barrera
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Cria G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Perrine
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Ruowei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Kelley S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Scanlon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D005248:Feeding Methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014886:Weaning; D055815:Young Adult