The impact of reducing the frequency of night feeding on infant BMI

Kelly J. O’Shea; Marie C. Ferguson; Layla Esposito; Lawrence D. Hammer; Cameron Avelis; Daniel Hertenstein; Mario Solano Gonzales; Sarah M. Bartsch; Patrick T. Wedlock; Sheryl S. Siegmund; Bruce Y. Lee

doi:10.1038/s41390-021-01397-7

The impact of reducing the frequency of night feeding on infant BMI

Kelly J. O’Shea, Marie C. Ferguson, Layla Esposito, Lawrence D. Hammer, Cameron Avelis, Daniel Hertenstein, Mario Solano Gonzales, Sarah M. Bartsch, Patrick T. Wedlock, Sheryl S. Siegmund, Bruce Y. Lee

Bloomberg School of Public Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background: Teaching caregivers to respond to normal infant night awakenings in ways other than feeding is a common obesity prevention effort. Models can simulate caregiver feeding behavior while controlling for variables that are difficult to manipulate or measure in real life. Methods: We developed a virtual infant model representing an infant with an embedded metabolism and his/her daily sleep, awakenings, and feeds from their caregiver each day as the infant aged from 6 to 12 months (recommended age to introduce solids). We then simulated different night feeding interventions and their impact on infant body mass index (BMI). Results: Reducing the likelihood of feeding during normal night wakings from 79% to 50% to 10% lowered infant BMI from the 84th to the 75th to the 62nd percentile by 12 months, respectively, among caregivers who did not adaptively feed (e.g., adjust portion sizes of solid foods with infant growth). Among caregivers who adaptively feed, all scenarios resulted in relatively stable BMI percentiles, and progressively reducing feeding probability by 10% each month showed the least fluctuations. Conclusions: Reducing night feeding has the potential to impact infant BMI, (e.g., 10% lower probability can reduce BMI by 20 percentile points) especially among caregivers who do not adaptively feed. Impact: Teaching caregivers to respond to infant night waking with other soothing behaviors besides feeding has the potential to reduce infant BMI.When reducing the likelihood of feeding during night wakings from 79% to 50% to 10%, infants dropped from the 84th BMI percentile to the 75th to the 62nd by 12 months, respectively, among caregivers who do not adaptively feed.Night-feeding interventions have a greater impact when caregivers do not adaptively feed their infant based on their growth compared to caregivers who do adaptively feed.Night-feeding interventions should be one of the several tools in a multi-component intervention for childhood obesity prevention.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	254-260
Number of pages	7
Journal	Pediatric research
Volume	91
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-021-01397-7
State	Published - Jan 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health

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10.1038/s41390-021-01397-7

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title = "The impact of reducing the frequency of night feeding on infant BMI",

abstract = "Background: Teaching caregivers to respond to normal infant night awakenings in ways other than feeding is a common obesity prevention effort. Models can simulate caregiver feeding behavior while controlling for variables that are difficult to manipulate or measure in real life. Methods: We developed a virtual infant model representing an infant with an embedded metabolism and his/her daily sleep, awakenings, and feeds from their caregiver each day as the infant aged from 6 to 12 months (recommended age to introduce solids). We then simulated different night feeding interventions and their impact on infant body mass index (BMI). Results: Reducing the likelihood of feeding during normal night wakings from 79% to 50% to 10% lowered infant BMI from the 84th to the 75th to the 62nd percentile by 12 months, respectively, among caregivers who did not adaptively feed (e.g., adjust portion sizes of solid foods with infant growth). Among caregivers who adaptively feed, all scenarios resulted in relatively stable BMI percentiles, and progressively reducing feeding probability by 10% each month showed the least fluctuations. Conclusions: Reducing night feeding has the potential to impact infant BMI, (e.g., 10% lower probability can reduce BMI by 20 percentile points) especially among caregivers who do not adaptively feed. Impact: Teaching caregivers to respond to infant night waking with other soothing behaviors besides feeding has the potential to reduce infant BMI.When reducing the likelihood of feeding during night wakings from 79% to 50% to 10%, infants dropped from the 84th BMI percentile to the 75th to the 62nd by 12 months, respectively, among caregivers who do not adaptively feed.Night-feeding interventions have a greater impact when caregivers do not adaptively feed their infant based on their growth compared to caregivers who do adaptively feed.Night-feeding interventions should be one of the several tools in a multi-component intervention for childhood obesity prevention.",

author = "O{\textquoteright}Shea, {Kelly J.} and Ferguson, {Marie C.} and Layla Esposito and Hammer, {Lawrence D.} and Cameron Avelis and Daniel Hertenstein and Gonzales, {Mario Solano} and Bartsch, {Sarah M.} and Wedlock, {Patrick T.} and Siegmund, {Sheryl S.} and Lee, {Bruce Y.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the International Pediatric Research Foundation, Inc.",

year = "2022",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1038/s41390-021-01397-7",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - The impact of reducing the frequency of night feeding on infant BMI

AU - O’Shea, Kelly J.

AU - Ferguson, Marie C.

AU - Esposito, Layla

AU - Hammer, Lawrence D.

AU - Avelis, Cameron

AU - Hertenstein, Daniel

AU - Gonzales, Mario Solano

AU - Bartsch, Sarah M.

AU - Wedlock, Patrick T.

AU - Siegmund, Sheryl S.

AU - Lee, Bruce Y.

PY - 2022/1

Y1 - 2022/1

N2 - Background: Teaching caregivers to respond to normal infant night awakenings in ways other than feeding is a common obesity prevention effort. Models can simulate caregiver feeding behavior while controlling for variables that are difficult to manipulate or measure in real life. Methods: We developed a virtual infant model representing an infant with an embedded metabolism and his/her daily sleep, awakenings, and feeds from their caregiver each day as the infant aged from 6 to 12 months (recommended age to introduce solids). We then simulated different night feeding interventions and their impact on infant body mass index (BMI). Results: Reducing the likelihood of feeding during normal night wakings from 79% to 50% to 10% lowered infant BMI from the 84th to the 75th to the 62nd percentile by 12 months, respectively, among caregivers who did not adaptively feed (e.g., adjust portion sizes of solid foods with infant growth). Among caregivers who adaptively feed, all scenarios resulted in relatively stable BMI percentiles, and progressively reducing feeding probability by 10% each month showed the least fluctuations. Conclusions: Reducing night feeding has the potential to impact infant BMI, (e.g., 10% lower probability can reduce BMI by 20 percentile points) especially among caregivers who do not adaptively feed. Impact: Teaching caregivers to respond to infant night waking with other soothing behaviors besides feeding has the potential to reduce infant BMI.When reducing the likelihood of feeding during night wakings from 79% to 50% to 10%, infants dropped from the 84th BMI percentile to the 75th to the 62nd by 12 months, respectively, among caregivers who do not adaptively feed.Night-feeding interventions have a greater impact when caregivers do not adaptively feed their infant based on their growth compared to caregivers who do adaptively feed.Night-feeding interventions should be one of the several tools in a multi-component intervention for childhood obesity prevention.

AB - Background: Teaching caregivers to respond to normal infant night awakenings in ways other than feeding is a common obesity prevention effort. Models can simulate caregiver feeding behavior while controlling for variables that are difficult to manipulate or measure in real life. Methods: We developed a virtual infant model representing an infant with an embedded metabolism and his/her daily sleep, awakenings, and feeds from their caregiver each day as the infant aged from 6 to 12 months (recommended age to introduce solids). We then simulated different night feeding interventions and their impact on infant body mass index (BMI). Results: Reducing the likelihood of feeding during normal night wakings from 79% to 50% to 10% lowered infant BMI from the 84th to the 75th to the 62nd percentile by 12 months, respectively, among caregivers who did not adaptively feed (e.g., adjust portion sizes of solid foods with infant growth). Among caregivers who adaptively feed, all scenarios resulted in relatively stable BMI percentiles, and progressively reducing feeding probability by 10% each month showed the least fluctuations. Conclusions: Reducing night feeding has the potential to impact infant BMI, (e.g., 10% lower probability can reduce BMI by 20 percentile points) especially among caregivers who do not adaptively feed. Impact: Teaching caregivers to respond to infant night waking with other soothing behaviors besides feeding has the potential to reduce infant BMI.When reducing the likelihood of feeding during night wakings from 79% to 50% to 10%, infants dropped from the 84th BMI percentile to the 75th to the 62nd by 12 months, respectively, among caregivers who do not adaptively feed.Night-feeding interventions have a greater impact when caregivers do not adaptively feed their infant based on their growth compared to caregivers who do adaptively feed.Night-feeding interventions should be one of the several tools in a multi-component intervention for childhood obesity prevention.

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The impact of reducing the frequency of night feeding on infant BMI

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