A new study claims that obesity in childhood is directly related to starting infants on solid food before they reach 4 months age.
According to the study the infants who started eating solid food before the age of 4 months were six times more likely to develop obesity by the time they become 3 years old than infants who started eating solid food later on. The same applies to infants who stopped breastfeeding before they turned 4 months.
If the infants were breastfed for at least 4 months, the time they started eating solid foods is not related to risks of obesity in their childhood.
The experts who conducted the study say that obesity is the greatest health problem for children. According to them special prevention strategies may need to be implemented in early infancy.
Susanna Hud, MD in the Children’s Hospital Boston, believes that the first few months after birth are crucial for obesity development. She claims that the timing of solid food introduction is one of the factors that influence childhood obesity.