INFLUENCE OF NUTRITION IN THE INFANT PERIOD ON OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY OF CHILDREN AGED 24 TO 60 MONTHS IN SOME NORTHERN PROVINCES OF VIETNAM: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Abstract

This study assessed the effect of nutrition in infancy on overweight and obesity of preschool aged children. This study was conducted on 126 obese and overweight children aged 24-60 months and 306 normal children in the control group (according to WHO 2006 criteria). The statistical significance for overweight and obesity in preschool children was not shown in the results of univariate and multivariate analysis of nutritional characteristics in the infant period, as such factors: breastfeeding (p = 0.24), the addition of formula in the first 6 months (p = 0.992), duration of breastfeeding (before 12 months: p = 0.81, after 24 months: p = 0.97), age of the beginning of complementary foods (before 4 months: p = 0.25, after 6 months: p = 0.78). Infants attracted to complementary foods had a risk of being overweight and obese in preschool age with OR = 2.08 in univariate analysis and OR = 2.12 in multivariate analysis (p = 0.004). Therefore, exclusive breastfeeding or consumption of the mixture nutrition during the first 6 months, the age of the beginning of complementary feeding, duration of breastfeeding did not affect the development of overweight and obesity in children. Complementary food liked children showed the possibility of being overweight and obese by 24 to 60 months.