Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Nothing's cuter than a chubby baby. Those chipmunk cheeks! Those cute rolls of pudge on their thighs! And it's long been thought that fat = healthy for babies, a sign that they're clearly thriving. And yet ... research argues otherwise.
Evidence is mounting that many babies are overweight and that having a "fat baby" means having an unhealthy baby.
"Studies show that 10 to 40 percent of babies worldwide under age 2 are overweight," says Lisa Gittner, a professor at Texas Tech University who's conducted research on infant and childhood obesity. What's more, American babies are at the high end of that spectrum.
Yet very few parents are worried about this, since in many pediatric waiting rooms, brochures abound saying, Don't worry if you baby is chubby, that's just baby fat -- he'll grow out of it! But Gittner's research shows that's not true.
"Once obesity appears, you 'turn on' regulatory pathways that allow the body to store more fat and stay fat," warns Gittner, whose research shows that overweight infants are more likely to turn into overweight kids and overweight adults.
This does NOT mean moms with overweight babies should put them on a diet! But they should make sure to talk to their pediatrician ... and avoid some common mistakes that can lead to their baby to pack on the pounds.
More from The Stir: It's Mean to Call Your Baby Chubby
First things first: is your baby overweight? To find out, you'll need to calculate his BMI, which takes into account a baby's weight and height. At sites like the NIH or Baby Calculators, for instance, you can plug in these numbers. A 1-year-old baby boy who is 20 inches and 11 pounds has a BMI of 19.3. That means his BMI is higher than 96 percent of babies his age and gender -- and any baby over the 85th percentile is considered overweight.
Whether your baby is overweight or you'd just like to keep your baby from joining the ranks, here are a few things you can do:
Breastfeed. Formula contains more fat, protein, and calories than breast milk. So it's no wonder that research shows that formula-fed babies are bigger than their breastfed counterparts.
Don't make babies finish the bottle. If you formula feed or give your baby breast milk in a bottle, don't force them to finish it if they seem full. And definitely don't add rice cereal to the formula -- it's an old wives' tale that it makes babies sleep longer; all it does it add unnecessary calories to your baby's diet.
Don't start solids until 6 months.Babies don't need solid food until 6 months. Start earlier, and you're just packing on the calories.
Ban juice from your home. Babies may love that sugar, but it's extra calories they don't need.
Keep baby active. We know it's tempting to plop baby in front of a TV or iPad, but try to keep it to a minimum. Instead, give them challenges appropriate by age -- things to reach for overhead, or tummy time, or a safe area to crawl around.
Only feed babies when they're hungry. Seems obvious, but all too often parents will assume their baby is crying because he's hungry and offer to nurse or give him a bottle. But babies cry for all kinds of reasons, so don't rule out other possibilities. Generally, babies should not eat more than every four to five hours.
Have you ever worried your baby was overweight?
Image via VasilkovS/shutterstock
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
