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Purpose: The objective of this secondary analysis is to describe the types of commercial complementary foods (CCF) consumed by infants and young children enrolled in the European Childhood Obesity Project (CHOP), to describe the contribution of CCF to dietary energy intakes and to determine factors associated with CCF use over the first 2 years of life. Methods: The CHOP trial is a multicenter intervention trial in Germany, Belgium, Italy, Poland and Spain that tested the effect of varying levels of protein in infant formula on the risk for childhood obesity. Infants were recruited from October 2002 to June 2004. Dietary data on CCF use for this secondary analysis were taken from weighted, 3-day dietary records from 1088 infants at 9 time points over the first 2 years of life. Results: Reported energy intakes from CCF during infancy (4–9 months) was significantly higher (p ≤ 0.002) amongst formula-fed children compared to breastfed children. Sweetened CCF intakes were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.009) amongst formula-fed infants. Female infants were fed significantly less CCF and infant age was strongly associated with daily CCF intakes, peaking at 9 months of age. Infants from families with middle- and high-level of education were fed significantly less quantities of CCF compared to infants with parents with lower education. Sweetened CCF were very common in Spain, Italy and Poland, with over 95% of infants and children fed CCF at 9 and 12 months of age consuming at least one sweetened CCF. At 24 months of age, 68% of the CHOP cohort were still fed CCF. Conclusions: CCF comprised a substantial part of the diets of this cohort of European infants and young children. The proportion of infants being fed sweetened CCF is concerning. More studies on the quality of commercial complementary foods in Europe are warranted, including market surveys on the saturation of the Western European market with sweetened CCF products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence is accumulating that a dietary supply of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) enhances the development of attention and efficient information processing in infants. However, it is uncertain whether LC-PUFAs in infancy influence cognitive development in later childhood. Objective: The objective was to determine the effects of dietary LC-PUFAs in infancy on measures of cognitive function at age 6 y. Design: Infants were randomly assigned to receive formula containing either docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid or no LC-PUFAs for a period of 4 mo. A reference breastfed group was also included. In a follow-up conducted at age 6 y, children received assessments of intelligence quotient (IQ), attention control (Day-Night Test), and speed of processing on the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT). Results: At follow-up there were 71 children in the LC-PUFA group, 76 in the control group, and 88 in the breastfed group. The formula groups did not differ on measures of Full-Scale IQ (LC-PUFA mean = 98.0; control mean = 100.9) or attention control (LC-PUFA mean = 12.7; control mean = 12.8). MFFT error scores were the same for both formula groups, but when making correct responses, the LC-PUFA group was significantly faster (mean = 6.2 s) than the control group [mean = 7.8 s; F(1, 131) = 6.09, P = 0.015]. Conclusions: IQ scores of children who were fed a formula containing either LC-PUFAs or no LC-PUFAs did not differ at age 6 y. However, children who received LC-PUFAs were faster at processing information compared with children who received unsupplemented formula. Variation in the dietary supply of LC-PUFAs in the first months of life may have long-term consequences for the development of some cognitive functions in later childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observational studies have shown that allergic infants, irrespective of the type of diet, show various degrees of growth depression in the first year of life. We investigated whether the type of milk in the complementary feeding period (6–12 months of age) is associated with differences in the increase of standardized growth indices (weight-for-age, WA; length-for-age, LA; and weight-for-length, WL, z-scores) in infants with cow's milk allergy (CMA). Infants with immunoglobulin E-mediated CMA breastfed at least 4 months and progressively weaned in the 5- to 6-month period were randomly assigned to three special formulas, a soy formula (n = 32), a casein hydrolysate (n = 31), and a rice hydrolysate (n = 30). A fourth, non-randomized group was made up by allergic infants still breastfed up to 12 months (n = 32). Groups were compared for WA, LA, and WL z-scores at 6, 9 and 12 months of age. All groups showed low WA and LA z-scores at 6 months of age. Infants fed hydrolyzed products showed a trend toward higher WA z-score increments in the 6- to 12-month period. The use of casein- and rice-based hydrolyzed formulas resulted in higher changes in WA compared with soy formula. Further research should be aimed at optimizing the dietary needs and feeding regimens for infants with CMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To study the effect of breastfeeding (BF) on growth, lung function and number of infections during the first 3 years of life in children with cystic fibrosis (CF). Material and methods: One hundred forty-six CF patients, 5–18 years old, were recruited at their annual care visit. Information about infant feeding, psychosocial and socioeconomic conditions and smoking exposure was obtained by interviews. Anthropometric parameters at 1 year of age and the number of infections and hospitalisations during the first 3 years of life were obtained from clinical charts. Anthropometrics and pulmonary function parameters were obtained at enrolment. Results: In CF patients, particularly those with pancreatic insufficiency, the prevalence of BF was lower than the general Italian population. After multivariate analysis patients with prolonged BF showed higher values of CED expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV-1) (p = 0.001) and a lower number of infections during the first 3 years of life (p = 0.098). Conclusion: Prolonged BF is beneficial in children with CF and may protect them against decline of pulmonary function. Particular attention should be paid to promote BF in infants with CF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]