European Childhood Obesity Project: Early Programming by Infant Nutrition?

Launched by LUDWIG-MAXIMILIANS - UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH · Jun 19, 2006

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The European Childhood Obesity Project is a research study focused on understanding how the type of nutrition infants receive can affect their growth and risk of becoming overweight as children. The main idea is that the amount of protein in infant formula might influence how much weight babies gain and, ultimately, their chances of being obese later in life. Researchers will compare different types of infant formulas with varying protein levels to see if this makes a difference in childhood obesity rates. They will follow the babies in the study until they turn 18, looking at their body composition, hormones, and growth patterns.

To participate in this study, mothers must be at least 18 years old and have had a healthy pregnancy with a baby born after 37 weeks. The baby should be a single birth (not twins or more) and weigh enough for their age. However, mothers with certain health conditions, such as diabetes or drug addiction, or babies with serious health issues may not be able to join. Families in this study can expect to be part of a larger effort to improve dietary advice for parents and create better nutrition products for infants, all aimed at preventing childhood obesity.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Gestational age \> 37 weeks
• • Appropriate for gestational age (above 10th percentile,Lubchenko)
• • Age of the mother at least 18 years
• • Singleton pregnancies
• • Residence in the study area
• • Maternal command of the language
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Gestational diabetes
• • Major malformations (of the child) which might interfere with nutrition or growth
• • Hormonal or metabolic diseases of the mother or the child, drug addiction during pregnancy