ESPE Abstracts

Background: Incidence of Obesity in infants is increasing with the risk to continue till adulthood with the entire health burden that can produce.

Objective and hypotheses: To elucidate the early factors that can determine obesity we studied a group of obese children (group 1) compared with a control group regarding, mode of delivery, breast feed and its duration, age at start of solid food, and how take care of the child.

Method: 230 children (100 boys, 130 girls) were included in-group 1, BMI was ⊇ percentile 97, age was 5.5±0.5 years (M±DS), without hormonal or genetic abnormality. 210 children (94 boys, 116 girls) were included in-group 2, with normal weight for age and length and age of 5.2±0.6 years. A questionnaire was given to parents to answer regarding the four determinants included in the study.

Results: No difference by sex was found. Mode of delivery: In the group 1, 190 children were born via caesarean section, while in group 2 only 80. Breast feed: in group 1: 80 children were fed for 6 month, 120 for 3 month, 30 were not breast fed. IN group 2; 112 were Brest fed for 6 months, 86 for three months, ten were not breast fed. Age of Solid food introduction: in-group 1 it was started at three month in 150 children, the rest in 6 months, in-group 2; 96 started at 3 months the rest at 6 months. Caregiver: the grandmother or a nurse cared for 180 children In-group 1, only 50 were taken care for by their mother. In-group 2; 150 were cared for by their mother, 60 were cared for by other person.

Conclusion: Mode of delivery, breast feed duration, age at start of solid food and how cares for the baby seem to be the early determinant factors in the incidence of childhood obesity.