Nutrition's Impact on Preschool Children's Body Composition
Author Information
Author(s): Muacevic Alexander, Adler John R, Elasheer Osama M Sr., Mahmoud Asmaa Ahmed, Rassmy Merly R, A. Farghl Maher M, Darwish Manal, AboElgheet Amir Mohammad
Primary Institution: Pediatrics, Assiut University, Assiut, EGY
Hypothesis
This study aimed to assess the effect of feeding in the first two years of life on the body composition of children at preschool age.
Conclusion
Body composition is affected by the type of feeding and the type of first food introduced.
Supporting Evidence
- Breastfeeding was the most common feeding method in 51.9% of the children.
- The percentage of infants with a normal BMI was significantly lower in the formula-fed group (40.9%) compared to the breastfed (71.1%) and mixed-feeding groups (50.9%).
- Body fat mass is a good predictor for discriminating between overweight and normal BMI individuals.
Takeaway
What kids eat in their first two years can change how their bodies grow, and some foods can make them more likely to be overweight.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 160 children, analyzing personal and nutritional history and using bioelectrical impedance analysis for body composition.
Potential Biases
The study was conducted in an international school with a high socioeconomic class, which may limit the variation in feeding types and practices.
Limitations
The study only asked about the first food introduced and did not obtain detailed subsequent dietary histories, which could lead to recall bias.
Participant Demographics
The study included 160 full-term children, with 56.9% being male and a mean birth weight of 3.00±0.48 kg.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.003
Confidence Interval
0.866-0.965
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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