Establishing a healthy growth trajectory from birth: The Baby Milk Trial

在过去二十年中，儿童肥胖的发病率迅速上升。童年时期的超重会影响到成年生活，并导致短期和长期的问题。全国调查显示，超过五分之一的儿童在入学时就已经超重（13%）或肥胖（10%）。因此，任何预防肥胖的努力都必须及早开始。《前瞻报告》和《健康体重健康生活战略》强调了通过关注幼儿期预防儿童肥胖的重要性。然而，迄今为止几乎没有证据表明可以制定有效的预防战略。婴儿期是一个快速生长和体重增加的时期，在这个时期预防肥胖可能是有效的。婴儿时期的营养和生长也可能通过改变饮食行为和以后生活中肥胖和肥胖相关疾病的风险而产生长期影响。英国婴儿喂养调查显示，三分之一（35%）的婴儿在出生时喝配方奶，而在6个月大时，这一数字几乎增加到所有婴儿（92%）。因此，除了促进母乳喂养外，优化配方奶喂养婴儿的生长也很重要。我们之前的研究表明，那些每天给婴儿吃配方奶的父母需要更多的信息和支持。剑桥饮食与活动研究中心（CEDAR）和MRC流行病学部门的研究人员一直在与母亲和医疗保健专业人员合作，制定一项喂养计划，旨在避免配方奶喂养的婴儿体重过度增加。我们制定的计划旨在支持那些用配方奶喂养婴儿的父母，以实现健康的生长模式和体重增加。这项婴儿喂养计划将在一项涉及700名母亲和她们的婴儿的随机对照试验中进行测试。一半的母亲将得到建议和支持，以遵循新的喂养计划。另一半将得到关于配方奶喂养和断奶的常规建议。将比较两组婴儿的生长情况。这种比较对于测试我们的新喂养方案是否有效防止体重增加和随后的肥胖是很重要的。这项研究的结果将有助于为婴儿喂养指南提供信息，也将帮助我们了解婴儿喂养、行为、食欲和生长之间的联系。

The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased rapidly over the past two decades. Excess weight in childhood tracks into adult life and causes problems both in the short term and in the long term. National surveys show that more than one in five children are already overweight (13%) or obese (10%) when they start school. Hence any efforts to prevent obesity must start early. The Foresight Report and the Healthy Weight Healthy Lives strategy have highlighted the importance of preventing childhood obesity by focussing on the early years. However, to date there is little evidence on which to develop effective preventive strategies. Infancy is a period of rapid growth and weight gain and obesity prevention during this period may be effective. Nutrition and growth during infancy may also have long term effects by altering eating behaviours and risks of obesity and obesity-related disorders in later life. UK Infant Feeding Surveys show that at birth one in three (35%) of babies receive formula-milk and this number increases to almost all babies (92%) at 6 months of age. Hence, in addition to promoting breastfeeding, it important to optimise the growth of formula-milk fed babies. Our previous research shows that parents who give their babies formula-milk as part of their everyday diet need more information and support. Researchers at the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) and MRC Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge have been working with mothers and healthcare professionals to develop a feeding programme which aims to avoid excess weight gain in formula-milk fed babies. The programme we have developed aims to support parents who feed their babies formula-milk to achieve a healthy pattern of growth and weight gain.The infant feeding programme will be tested in a randomised controlled trial involving 700 mothers and their babies. Half the mothers will be given advice and support to follow the new feeding programme. The other half will be given routine advice about formula-milk feeding and weaning. The growth of babies in the two groups will be compared. This comparison is important to test whether our new feeding programme is effective in preventing excess weight gain and subsequent obesity.The results of the study will help to inform infant feeding guidelines and will also help us understand the links between infant feeding, behaviour, appetite and growth.