Evaluation of changes in the anthropometric measurements of infants in relation to the type of feeding and the presence of gestational diabetes in their mothers: a preliminary study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Breastfeeding is the best way to nourish infants and young children. One of the advantages of breastfeeding is the prevention of childhood overweight and obesity. This is especially important in those babies of mothers who have developed gestational diabetes, which can contribute to carbohydrate and/or fat disorders in their children and in the future generate overweight and obesity in them. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the way babies are fed and the occurrence of gestational diabetes in their mothers on the anthropometric measurements of the babies studied. METHODS The study comprised 42 babies of women who had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy. The control group contained 28 babies of nondiabetic women. We evaluated the babies' diets (breastfeeding, mixed feeding, formula feeding) and their anthropometric measurements at 3 time points: 7±1 weeks from birth, 6 months ± 1 week from birth, and 12 months ± 1 week from birth. The babies were measured for weight, length, head circumference and thickness of the subscapular skin fold. We also calculated their BMI and Ponderal Index, and the measurements were also referenced to WHO centile grids. RESULTS At 7±1 weeks from birth, exclusively breastfed babies weighed more than mixed and formula-fed babies (P=.03). However, at 1 year of age, breastfed children weighed significantly less than formula-fed children (P =.019). Breastfed boys had lower weight, length, BMI and lower subscapular skinfold thickness at 12 months than formula-fed children (P .05). CONCLUSIONS Breastmilk feeding may prevent breastfed babies from becoming overweight and obese in the future: in the first weeks after birth, breastfed babies have a higher weight than formula-fed babies, but by the 12th month, breastfed babies weigh less than formula-fed babies. Having diabetes during pregnancy does not affect the anthropometric dimensions of children up to age 1, but continued research is needed to assess the long-term effects of maternal GDM in their offspring.