Breast-fed infants are leaner than formula-fed infants at 1 y of age: the DARLING study

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Abstract
Anthropometric indexes from l to 24 mo were compared between matched cohorts of infants either breast-fed (BF, n = 46) or formula-fed (FF, n = 41) until ≥ 12 mo. Neither group received solid foods before 4 mo. Weight-for-length was significantly greater among FF infants from 7 to 24 mo. In both groups, skinfold thickness (triceps, biceps, subscapular, flank, and quadriceps) and estimated percent body fat (%FAT) increased rapidly during the first 6–8 mo and declined thereafter. At all sites except biceps, FF infants had larger skinfold thicknesses in later infancy (particularly 9–15 mo) than did BF infants; %FAT was significantly higher from 5 to 24 mo. Lower energy intake among BF infants explained the difference between groups. Maternal and infant fatness were positively correlated at 12–24 mo. Breast-milk lipid and energy concentration were unrelated to infant fatness. These results indicate that infants BF for ≥ 12 mo are leaner than their FF counterparts.

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