DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i05.049

Pages: 1959-1969

There is an interest in the degree to which feeding practices contribute to early childhood obesity. We undertook a systematic review to investigate the effect of demand feeding versus scheduled feeding on obesity in early childhood. A systematic search of electronic databases identified studies relating feeding during early life mainly infancy to episodes of early childhood obesity. Included studies were assessed for quality based on study methodology, validity of dietary assessment, success of follow-up, standardised assessment of obesity. Data from ten cohorts involving 5535 subjects were included. Studies had follow-up of more than 60 %, adjusted statistically for three or more confounders and used standard criteria to determine end points. About half the studies used a validated FFQ, administered the FFQ more than once or had follow-up of one year. Fewer than half the studies involved subjects’ representative of the general population. This systematic review points out the presence of heterogeneity in the results from studies reviewing feeding practices and risk of obesity. This could be due to the fact that studies are too varied in methods of feeding assessment and anthropometric measurements, time scale and the method of evaluating the nature of the association.