Compared to an exclusively dairy diet, the intake of protein from mashed meat would improve growth and reduce overweight infants during their first year of life.
A new study has assessed the impact on growth and weight gain of proteins derived exclusively from milk or meat in an infant’s diet. The protein enrichment from mashed meat between 5 and 12 months seems the most interesting.
“We found that the protein source can play an important role in regulating growth,” said Minghua Tang, assistant professor of pediatrics, who led the study. “Infants had distinct growth kinetics, especially for height, depending on whether they ate supplemented meat or dairy foods.”
The virtues of proteins from meat
The study, published this month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is perhaps the first of its kind to assess the effect of protein from sources other than infant formula on infant growth during the first year of life. On the basis of measurements taken between 5 and 12 months of life, supplementation of the formula based on infant formula with mashed meat promoted linear growth.
The analysis showed that height for age increased in the group supplemented with meat and decreased in the group fed exclusively with dairy products. At the same time, weight-for-height measurements significantly increased in the exclusive milk diet group compared to the meat supplement group.
Comparison of two regimes
To conduct the study, investigators recruited families in the Denver subway with formula-fed infants three to five months old. Sixty-four infants participated in the study and they were randomly drawn between an exclusive milk feeding group or a meat-fortified milk feeding group.
In the latter case, the infants received in addition to their formula-based diet, mashed meats, as well as fruits and vegetables, available on the market, while the diet of other infants was based on fortified formula. in cheese and with whey protein powder concentrate.
A strictly comparative study
This is a follow-up study of infants five to 12 months of age. The babies were comparable to inclusion in the study in terms of height, weight and head circumference. Blood samples were taken at the initial visit and again at the end of the study. And they were drawn to follow one of the 2 diets studied in the study to minimize the impact of genetic differences.
From a dietary perspective, protein sources did not appear to affect overall protein intake, as the two groups received similar total amounts of calories, protein, and fat.
Evidence based on science
We knew the value of formula feeding on growth and weight gain in infants, but this is the first time that we have actually tested the impact of different types of proteins.
Such studies are important for providing nutrition advice based on valid evidence. They can help to better understand the long-term benefits of one type of diet over another for optimal growth and prevention of obesity.
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