Local Doctor: Fat Babies May Not Be Part Of Obesity Trend
Boys Town Doctor Disputes New Study
POSTED: 3:29 pm CDT August 14, 2006
UPDATED: 9:31 am CDT August 15, 2006
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OMAHA, Neb. -- Is it possible to label a newborn overweight? A new study says yes, but a local doctor said he has concerns with the findings.
A study published last week in the journal Obesity found that children under 6 years old in Massachusetts are more likely to be overweight than two decades ago. Dr. Matthew Gillman, senior author of the study and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, said no age group, even infants under six months old, was immune from the trend. The study was done over a 22-year period in Massachusetts.
Dr. Chuck Sprague, a pediatrician at Omaha's Boys Town Pediatrics, said the study doesn't do a good job of proving its results.
"What I don't see in this article is that they follow the same individual through time. Is that same overweight 2-month-old then an overweight 5-year-old? Overweight adult? And they don't do that they just compare trends over time," Sprague said.
Sprague agreed with the study results that showed that birth weights are higher than they were 20 years ago, but said there is not necessarily a correlation with the obesity epidemic.
"I think it's more related to adequate prenatal care, prenatal nutrition and moms being very diligent about taking care of themselves and their bodies," he said.
Sprague suggested that new parents can keep a baby on track to a healthy weight by no being in a rush to get him or her on cereal or solid food. He recommends waiting until the baby is 6 months old.
Obesity Trend in Babies