A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Obesity Related Programming Statements in Materials on Infant Feeding Aimed at Parents in Five European Countries
Authors: von Rosen-von Hoewel J, Laitinen K, Martin-Bautista E, Campoy C, Jakobik V, Decsi T, Schmid MA, Morgan J, Gage H, Koletzko B, Raats M
Publication year: 2009
Journal: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
Journal name in source: EARLY NUTRITION PROGRAMMING AND HEALTH OUTCOMES IN LATER LIFE: OBESITY AND BEYOND
Journal acronym: ADV EXP MED BIOL
Volume: 646
First page : 175
Last page: 181
Number of pages: 7
ISBN: 978-1-4020-9172-8
ISSN: 0065-2598
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9173-5_21
Abstract
Early nutrition programming as an origin of obesity is well acknowledged, but to what extent is this concept communicated to parents? In five European countries, UK, Finland (FI), Germany (DE), Hungary (HU) and Spain (ES), a total of 130 stand alone leaflets and 161 articles from parenting magazines providing information on feeding of healthy infants aged 0-12 months were identified and screened for nutrition programming statements. Obesity was mentioned in 8.5% (54/638) of the statements, and was the fourth most frequent outcome after allergy (20.7%), risk of infections (15.5%) and growth and development (11.4%). A temporal prognosis was given in 39% of obesity related statements, 6% referring to short- (<5 years), 13% to medium- (5-15 years) and 20% to long-term (> 15 years) duration of effects. So advice on obesity focuses oil the intrinsic long-term perspective of programming in contrary to other surveyed health-outcomes where only 8% considered a lifelong approach. The major programming related behaviour concerned breast-feeding compared to formula and complementary feeding with meaningful differences concerning the recommended duration: for ES and HU the predominant advice was for exclusive breast-feeding for 6 months, for DE exclusive breast-feeding for 4-6 months and for UK and FI breast-feeding without further specification. In summary, statements relating to the programming of later obesity have been partially integrated into feeding information in five European countries. These Countries have slightly different breastfeeding recommendations, but consistently refer to the preventive potential of breastfeeding in general. This is important as obesity and its resulting morbidity are of increasing public health concern in developed countries.
Early nutrition programming as an origin of obesity is well acknowledged, but to what extent is this concept communicated to parents? In five European countries, UK, Finland (FI), Germany (DE), Hungary (HU) and Spain (ES), a total of 130 stand alone leaflets and 161 articles from parenting magazines providing information on feeding of healthy infants aged 0-12 months were identified and screened for nutrition programming statements. Obesity was mentioned in 8.5% (54/638) of the statements, and was the fourth most frequent outcome after allergy (20.7%), risk of infections (15.5%) and growth and development (11.4%). A temporal prognosis was given in 39% of obesity related statements, 6% referring to short- (<5 years), 13% to medium- (5-15 years) and 20% to long-term (> 15 years) duration of effects. So advice on obesity focuses oil the intrinsic long-term perspective of programming in contrary to other surveyed health-outcomes where only 8% considered a lifelong approach. The major programming related behaviour concerned breast-feeding compared to formula and complementary feeding with meaningful differences concerning the recommended duration: for ES and HU the predominant advice was for exclusive breast-feeding for 6 months, for DE exclusive breast-feeding for 4-6 months and for UK and FI breast-feeding without further specification. In summary, statements relating to the programming of later obesity have been partially integrated into feeding information in five European countries. These Countries have slightly different breastfeeding recommendations, but consistently refer to the preventive potential of breastfeeding in general. This is important as obesity and its resulting morbidity are of increasing public health concern in developed countries.
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