Overweight at 9 Months: Baby Obesity Epidemic May Be Brewing*

The nation's obesity epidemic may have roots as early as infancy. At least that's what a new study out of Wayne State University suggests, pointing out that more than 30 percent of U.S. babies are overweight or obese at 9 months of age.

This latest long-term study of some 7,500 infants across the U.S. showed that 32 percent of 9-month-olds were overweight or obese and 34 percent were overweight or obese by age 2.

The research was published in the most recent issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion. The children in the study were all born in 2001 and underwent weight and height measurements at both 9 months and 2 years of age. Researchers compared the data with standard growth charts developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lead study author Dr. Brian Moss in Wayne State's Department of Sociology told AOL Health that he and his research team hoped to estimate the prevalence of American children who were overweight or obese. "We also wanted to determine if there were any demographic variables that were associated with developing either desirable or undesirable weight status," he says.

Moss points out that past research has shown that obesity among children is on the rise in the U.S. What his team found alarming, however, is that the excessive weight gain seems to be showing up as early as infancy, though researchers also found that some of the babies who were overweight at 9 months had returned to normal weight by age 2.

Wayne State researchers plan to conduct further research into how life circumstances impact weight gain in infants and toddlers, looking at everything from the impact of child care to parental employment status.

So if you've got a chubby baby on your hands, should you be concerned? "I would suggest that if parents are worried about their child's weight status that they work closely with their primary care physician to determine if additional screening is needed or if there are any underlying health risks that would require medical assistance," says Moss.

Dr. Lisa Davis, corporate medical officer for Medifast, told AOL Health she isn't surprised by the study findings and adds that possible reasons for the excess infant weight gain include introducing cereal too early and filling bottles with sweetened juice and even soda. "As pointed out in this study, rates of overweight infants were highest among low income families," she says. "Nearly three in 10 lower income households experience food insecurity, which has been linked with obesity."

Many lower income families live in so-called food deserts. These "food deserts" impede access to healthy, affordable foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains -- a key part in fighting the childhood obesity epidemic. First Lady Michelle Obama has made eliminating food deserts a primary goal to her Let's Move campaign.

Davis advises parents to try exclusive breastfeeding if they can, as that is one of the surest ways to prevent excessive weight gain in infants. She also advises parents to watch portion sizes once children are eating solids.

*http://www.aolhealth.com/2011/01/03/baby-obesity-epidemic/