INFANT FEEDING AND GROWTH

This prospectively designed study was done to evaluate growth of 133 healthy full-term infants who received breast milk (B) or infant formula (F) as essentially the only source of calories during the first 6 months of life and who were followed through age 9 months. By analysis of variance, both sex and feeding had significant effect on gains in length and weight (p< 0.01). Weight-for-age centiles (WAC) and length-for-age centiles (LAC) were computed using NCHS reference data and are summarized for B and F infants by age (mos): NCHS reference data, based principally on formula-fed infants who received solid foods in the early weeks of life, may not be entirely appropriate to evaluate growth of today's infants breast-fed according to current recommendations.